


Sottomesso

by HPFandom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: BDSM, Bonding, Drama, Explicit Language, M/M, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Romance, Sexual Content, Slash sex, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-10-28
Updated: 2008-02-09
Packaged: 2018-10-01 13:23:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 70,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10190795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HPFandom_archivist/pseuds/HPFandom_archivist
Summary: Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.





	1. Chapter One  After The War

**Author's Note:**

> Note from SeparatriX, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HP Fandom](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HP_Fandom_\(archive\)), which was closed for health and financial reasons. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HP Fandom collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hpfandom/profile).

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~3000  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny. *grin*

 

 

** _Prologue – Not Your Time_ **

 

It was a strange feeling, to have died. Or, to be dying at least, because even Severus had not sinned enough to require this much pain to be meted out in Hell. His entire body hurt, ached with a burning fire that seemed to run through his veins, leeching into every cell and threatening to split him apart. Had it been any other time but the moment of his death, Severus would have been distressed by the vivid green eyes that appeared in his vision. But in this, his last moment on earth, he was fully aware that those eyes were Harry's. Lily was dead and gone, and he had played his part in that. But this was her son. This was her legacy, and he had fought to protect this boy to pay his dues to his friend. 

Using what strength he had left, Severus closed his fingers around Harry's robes and pulled him forward, collecting up every thought he had, every memory he had cherished, and fought to speak through the deafening pounding in his head. "Take… it… Take… it…"

He could feel it gushing out of him, seeming to leave from every pore. His memories, his motivation, the reason he had sold the Potters out to Lord Voldemort and the reason he had fought to protect their surviving child's life. All of it came out of his body, and Severus could only hope that Harry would have the sense to collect them, to see them and cherish them and understand how powerful Severus' memories were. 

Finally feeling the peace begin to settle around him, Severus tried to see her in Harry's eyes just one more time. "Look… at… me…"

Green eyes focused on him, but just as his memories had left his body, so Lily had left her son's eyes, leaving only Harry to watch as Severus died.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He'd hoped for Heaven, though on his darker days Severus had fully expected to be greeted with the fires of Hell when he finally shuffled from the mortal coil.

He was not at all amused to find himself stood – in robes still stained with his own blood and tiny drops of poison – on Platform 9 ¾ . In fact, if there was a celestial version of livid, then that was how Severus felt. He had spent far too much of his life skulking on this very Platform, trying to avoid Precious Potter and his gang of fools, or the older Slytherins that seemed to either look at him in puzzlement or attempt to haze him into their gangs. 

And when he saw Potter walking towards him, Severus was certain he hadn't done anything bad enough to deserve this circle of Hell. But through the strange mist that seemed to surround him – smoke from the flames, Severus presumed – the figure that emerged was not Severus' nemesis, but Harry. 

Irritation welled up inside Severus. He'd given his life, and the idiot Gryffindor had managed to get himself killed. All that effort, all those lies and deceits and risks, and the stupid boy had probably tripped over a floorboard and impaled himself on his own wand. 

Gearing up to shout, Severus never got a chance to speak. The boy… the _man_ … had a look of such fierce intensity on his face that Severus was loathe to do anything that would cause Harry to forget whatever it was he was going to do. The younger man turned to him, almost coincidentally, as he drew level, and Severus felt the pain set in again. 

"This is not your time."

 

** _Chapter One – After The War_ **

 

Severus sat before the assembled Wizengamot, paying no heed to the threatening clinking of the chains that, for the moment at least, hung loosely from the arms and legs of his chair. He'd stood in the presence of the Dark Lord; he would not cower in front of these fools. Though, he had to admit a grudging respect for Shacklebolt and the job he was doing as Minister, considering he'd been thrust into it after Scrimgeour's death. 

Severus had watched over the trials that proceeded in the aftermath of the last battle, gleaning what he could from the odd newspaper he found in Azkaban. He'd seen some sentenced to Azkaban, for a range of terms, some fined, and some freed. And now, it was Severus Snape's turn to be judged by his alleged peers.

He barely listened to the testimony given. He knew that the jury was already agreed on his verdict. He'd killed Albus Dumbledore, the Light's perfect figurehead. It didn’t matter that the man was an old fool with a manipulative streak, because Albus had kept that trait to himself. Severus realised that none of it really mattered. His fate had always been sealed. This life was a popularity contest, and Severus had been doomed to failure since the first breath he'd taken. 

He was preparing himself for those two little words, _the kiss_ , when he heard a voice speak up, clear and carrying over the assembled crowd. "I have testimony to give."

Severus groaned.

Walking to the front, Harry didn’t bother to look at Snape because he knew he would only be met with disdain. But he had thought about this, talked it through with Hermione and Ron, and knew it was the right thing to do. "Severus Snape was acting on Dumbledore's orders, in defence of the Light and protection of my life. He made some bad choices, did some bad things. But he does not deserve Azkaban. If he must be punished for the things he has done, then make him repay his debt to society. Use his talents, talents that invariably helped me to defeat the Dark Lord; don't make him waste away in Azkaban."

Severus watched as whispers passed around the room like wildfire, and Potter returned to his seat. Finally, the gavel banged and Severus flicked his gaze up to Shacklebolt as the man spoke in that smooth, deep voice.

"Severus Snape. Though we have heard much testimony, both in your favour and against you, one thing remains agreed on by all. You committed wrongs in your actions during the war, and those wrongs cannot go unpunished. As Minister for Magic, I find you guilty of working to propagate Lord Voldemort's regime. In light of your reasons for doing this, I find that Azkaban would not be an appropriate punishment. Instead, I am placing upon you a one thousand galleon fine, to be paid in full to the charitable trust set up to repair the destruction caused by the Final Battle. I am also levying against you ten years service for the good of Wizarding society. I believe the highest good you can bring to this society is to be found in your unsurpassable talent for potion making. As such, you will devote five days a week to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies, providing them and their subsidy care centres with potions and balms. This trial is ceased."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus stood outside and stared up at the sky, the smoke from the long, thin cigarette curling around his head in delicate swirls. He wasn't a smoker, but he'd always kept a slim silver case in his robes, full of the finest cigarettes, hand-rolled, because it was the done thing for Wizarding Aristocracy. And wasn't that just stuck-up purebloods all over, carrying around death because it was fashionable. Many a time in the past Severus had taken out the case, or just felt the slight lump of it in his robes, and wondered why exactly he was fighting for a world so full of imbeciles.

But today he had opened the case, extracted a slim white stick, and lit it. He inhaled the smoke, using all his years of training not to let the burn show on his face. As the ash fluttered off the end of the cigarette and into the wind, Severus mused that this was symbolic for the final ending of the hell his life had been under the shadow of the war.

"I didn't know you smoked."

"I don't. It is a vile and offensive habit."

Harry opened his mouth, pointing to the cigarette in Snape's hand. But the look the older wizard gave him was terrifying, and Harry wisely stayed quiet on the blatant contradiction between words and actions. "I just wanted…"

"Thanks for your words? I would advise you to remain breathing if you wish to keep your Brat Who Lived status."

Bristling, Harry felt his temper flare. "Please, don't worry about thanking me for keeping your cowardly arse out of Azkaban."

The words angered him, but Severus worked to keep his expression bland and his tone bored. "You may remember my dying to further your heroic cause. Hardly fits to a definition of cowardice followed by intelligent men. Though, I see now where my error lies."

Harry sighed, and shook his head. "Look, I just wanted to say thanks for what you did. I know I couldn't have done it without you. The fact I can't stand you is by the by."

Taking the last, warm drag, Severus flicked the cigarette to the floor and stubbed it with the heel of his boot. Turning to look at Potter, he allowed his gaze to travel down, and then back up the brunette. "The feeling is mutual."

Knowing the half-thanks, half-insult was the best he would get, Harry turned his back on his old Potions Master and walked away. Severus considered the boy's retreating form with disdain for a moment before turning on his heel and walking away. As far as he was concerned, if he never saw the brat again he'd be happy with his lot in life.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry sat by the pond in the Weasleys' back yard and watched as the fish broke the water, searching for food. He felt someone moving toward him, and turned to look over his shoulder, smiling as Ginny reached out, her delicate fingers running through his hair. "Hey, Gin."

Sitting down, Ginny folded her legs under her and leant against Harry, smiling when he moved his arm to sling lightly around her waist. "Hey, yourself. Are you all right?"

"Yep, why wouldn't I be?"

"You've been sat here for nearly three hours."

Harry sighed, and rested his cheek against Ginny's soft hair. "I know. I'm just… thinking."

Ginny nodded and let her gaze drift over the water as her hand moved across Harry's stomach to find his left hand, lacing their fingers together. "What you did was admirable. You're a good man."

Shaking his head, Harry breathed out through his nose, squeezing Ginny's fingers gently. "No, I'm not. I wanted to let the bastard rot in Azkaban."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because this way, I win. I saved him from imprisonment, and he can't hate me for that. This way I prove I'm not my father, and I get the last word in with Snape. So believe me, Gin, I didn't do what I did out of respect or concern for him. Just did it to have the last word."

Harry was grateful when Ginny just mumbled and fell silent again. He didn't really like talking about what had happened that night, or about his feelings in the aftermath. He knew that one day he would talk, but he didn’t see that day coming any time soon. Clearing his throat, Harry stood up carefully and pulled Ginny up with him. "Come on, your Mum'll need help with tea.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus glared at the woman who showed him to the lab at St. Mungo's. He'd taught her potions and knew she was a flippant fool. Once she'd scurried away, muttering under her breath about ex-Death Eaters and the safety of their patients, Severus turned and surveyed the lab. Scowling again, he Summoned a piece of parchment and a self-inking quill, and began to write.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kingsley eyed the stack of papers he still had to get through, and silently cursed everyone he could think of for the mess of a country he had been handed with expectancy. More than once Kingsley had found himself fantasising about his old job, where the most important decision he had to make was how badly he hexed someone before he brought them in for questioning. The more he learnt about the job of being the Minister for Magic, the more he could comprehend how difficult it was. Deciding that the paper in his hand would be the last thing he did for the night, Kingsley slit the seal of St. Mungo's and unfurled the parchment.

 

_Minister Shacklebolt,_

_Unfortunately, due to the dismal state of the St. Mungo's potions laboratory, I will be_  
unable to fulfil the penalty imposed upon me by the Wizengamot for my part in the   
War against the deceased Dark Lord. I assure you, a term in Azkaban would be   
preferable to the dirty, ill-equipped, and frankly unworkable broom cupboard that   
passes as a potions laboratory in this hospital. 

_I await your guards,_

_Severus Snape._

 

Groaning, Kingsley let the parchment fall to the floor and rested his head in his hands. He had three years on Severus Snape, and yet the younger man always succeeded in making Kingsley feel like a naughty school boy, even in letters. The parchment sent by the dour man dripped with sarcasm and pretension, and Kingsley battled the urge to lock the sallow man up and be done with it. But, in his heart of hearts, Kingsley knew that not imprisoning Severus Snape was the right thing to do. He tried to tell himself that put in Snape's position, he'd have defied the Dark Lord, but Kingsley knew that what a person claimed they would do, and what they actually did do when faced with a situation, were often two very different things.

So, Kingsley took up a sheet of parchment and a quill, and began to write.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Arriving at St. Mungo's on Tuesday morning, fully expecting a guard waiting to take him to Azkaban, Severus was surprised to find instead a large, proud looking tawny owl, holding a scroll that bore the mark of the Minister for Magic.

Slitting the wax seal, Severus unfurled the parchment and read it with a scowl on his face.

 

_To Severus Snape_

_CC Matilda Maloney, Head of Expenses, St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies  
Walton DuVall, Head Healer, Pharmacy Department, St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies_

_To fully effect the sentence imposed by the Wizengamot in a full and fair trial, you will_  
have access to anything you need to ensure your potions, ointments and balms are of   
the highest standard. Walton DuVall is to ensure you are moved to a more suitable   
laboratory, and Matilda Maloney is to provide you with a business account, to   
purchase those ingredients that you feel are lacking in the current stores. The money   
spent will be recouped in time spent and care taken over the potions that will be   
administered to those who require them in our society. 

_Signed,_

_K. Shacklebolt, Minister for Magic, United Kingdom._

_~no man may judge, lest he stand to be judged also_

 

Scowling, Severus balled up the parchment and tossed it into the fire. A cough at the door interrupted his brooding, and Severus spun around to glare at the demure looking man stood there. "Yes?"

"Severus Snape, I am Walton DuVall. If you will come with me, you can give your approval to the new laboratory we have found for you, and I can hand over the expenses and order forms you will need to replenish the stock you feel is lacking. Then you can begin to work. We are a busy hospital and require many and varied potions. There is also a list here of the more specialised potions I am assured you are able to brew, to save us sourcing them from outside and paying through the wand. Follow me."

Severus was so shocked at the clipped tones, and the fact the man turned and walked away without waiting for Severus to cut him down to size, that he did not move. When it became apparent the man was not quite as weak as Severus had first assumed, and would not be coming back to jiffy Severus along, the man had no choice but to begin walking, hurrying to catch up with the smaller man and following him down twisting corridor.

They finally arrived in a dungeon under the hospital. Though there were no windows, the room was well-lit, and very clean. Severus looked around, and could find no fault with the room. "Why, pray tell, if this room was available, was I shown to a box on the third floor?"

"Because you are a convict, and we tend not to allow convicts to work in our good labs. But the Minister's orders are to be obeyed, so you will work down here. There are six labs down here, this one included. Try not to offend any of the Potions Masters who work in the other labs. The potions you will be expected to make are listed on this piece of parchment," Severus took the parchment carelessly thrust to him, still in a state of shock at the cheek of the other man, "…and there is a list of potions we use frequently on the other side. Should you find yourself with spare time, brew some of those. We can never have too much of anything. Order what you need and send a copy of the form to Matilda in the internal mail. Your working hours are eight to five Monday through Friday. Good day."

Before Severus could even form a retort, the man had left, and Severus was stood with a pile of parchment and the distinct feeling he had just been one-upped. Rage boiled in him, and Severus found himself wishing for Azkaban, if only to avoid the scorn of people who would never, ever match to the talent Severus held within his body.

But, there was nothing to be done. Taking a moment to calm and compose himself, Severus headed to the store cupboards and began to make notes of what he needed.


	2. Chapter Two - Time Served

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2200  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,   
**Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

Severus rolled up his sleeves and exhaled slowly, waiting for the timer to buzz so that he knew when to add the saffron. He knew that he'd know when to add it even without the timer, but he liked to do things properly. The timer buzzed and Severus dropped the saffron in, stirring twice clockwise and once anti-clockwise, then stepping back as green smoke coiled up from the cauldron. The liquid bubbled right up to the lip of the pewter and then receded, and Severus smiled. Another perfect batch of Wolfsbane; and summoning over the jars he began to decant it.

"Severus?"

Setting down the ladle and jar, Severus turned around and nodded curtly at the man stood in the doorway to his lab. Walton DuVall was an even-tempered man who had become something of a casual acquaintance as Severus had worked under him for the past ten years. He had soon realised that Severus was as talented as he was sarcastic, and left Severus to his own devices as long as potions were produced. This suited Severus just fine – he did not need someone breathing down his neck and reminding him that he was working as a punishment for crimes committed in the war. Severus knew it had been Walton who put Severus' name forward for the promotion to Master Brewer, and Walton's calm words that secured Severus such a highly-esteemed job, despite his background. "Walton. What can I do for you?" 

Clearing his throat, Walton gestured to the various cauldrons bubbling away. "I wondered if you had a spare moment, or if I should come back later?"

Casting a stasis spell, Severus gestured to the stools by a relatively clear workbench and nodded. "I have a few moments. Is there something I can do for you?"

"Perhaps. You are aware, I am sure, that your sentence comes to an end next week. After next Friday you will be free to leave here, having repaid your debt to society. I wondered what your plans were."

Considering his stained fingers for a moment, Severus was careful to keep his voice free of emotion. "I can't say I've given it much thought."

"Well, perhaps you should. If you decide to leave, I will advertise your job. However, should you decide to stay, I can assure you that you will retain the job and position you hold now. Give it some thought, Severus."

The man left without a goodbye, and Severus sat at the desk for a few minutes more, considering his options. He liked this job – it afforded him the freedom to brew potions without the constant irritation of small children. And he was left mostly alone, which suited his disposition just fine. Lifting the stasis spell, Severus refocused on the potions and put this aside to be worried about later.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Knocking on the door, Severus waited until Walton's voice drifted through the solid oak. "Come in."

Pushing the door open, Severus closed it behind him and sat down in the comfortable chair in front of Walton's desk. Steepling his fingers, Severus declined the tea offered to him, and spoke softly. "I would be honoured to continue working here. However, I find myself itching to see the world, free of the restrictions being on parole placed on me."

"Understandable. Then how about a compromise? You take a year's sabbatical, and I advertise for a temporary potion-maker."

"That would suit my needs well. I cannot help but wonder, however, why you are so focused on retaining my services."

He'd been expecting that question, and Walton took a sip of tea before he replied. "You are the most talented Potions Master I have ever worked with. The pharmacy staff at St. Mungo's would be sad to see you leave. You have repaid your debt many times over, and saved many lives by virtue of your brewing skills." 

Nodding in recognition of the praise, Severus cleared his throat and stood up. "Then I will gladly retain my position at this hospital."

Standing and shaking the offered hand, Walton waited until Severus had opened the door before questioning, "Do you know where you will go?"

Turning around, a slight smile on his face, Severus shook his head softly. "Wherever seems appropriate."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

His temporary replacement had been shown the ropes, and Severus had received official word from the Minister that his debt to society was paid. Taking out the official Ministry paper, Severus unfurled it and read the lines again.

 

_To Severus Snape_

_CC Walton DuVall, Head Healer, Pharmacy Department, St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies  
Ronald Weasley, Head Auror, Auror Department, Ministry of Magic _

_As was decreed, you have served ten years using your abilities for the betterment of Wizarding society, in punishment for your crimes during the war._

_I am pleased to inform you that your debt has been repaid in full. In the eyes of the Ministry, you are a free citizen, no longer bound by the terms of your sentence._

_Signed,_

_K. Shacklebolt, Minister for Magic, United Kingdom._

_~no man may judge, lest he stand to be judged also_

 

It seemed so strange, to finally be free. Severus could not remember the last time he had been working toward anything other than someone else's ends. It was liberating, and Severus found himself smiling softly on occasion. Refolding the letter, he slipped it into the small case that held the possessions he was taking with him, and looked around the sparse apartment he had inhabited for the last decade. The rent was paid in full for the next twelve months, and Severus was all set to leave. 

Locking the door behind him, he checked the coast was clear and then began walking to the Apparition point, surprisingly sad to be leaving the life he had here behind, however meagre others may have found it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Stepping off the boat, Severus was glad he'd chosen to use Muggle transportation to get to France. The bustling port was fantastic, filled with so much to catch and hold his attention. And best of all, Severus was completely unnoticeable, having opted for black trousers and a pale green shirt instead of his usual robes. It suited him better to dress like a Muggle as he travelled – brought less unwanted attention on him.

He wasn't really sure where he was going, just satisfying the need to go somewhere, to see all the places he'd read about in books and never had the time to visit, busy as he was with a psychopathic Dark Lord and a batty old wizard. Following his nose, Severus headed toward the scent of fresh bread and fine cheese, turning a corner to find an open-air market. He allowed himself a small smile – this was exactly what he'd been searching for – before he began moving between the stalls and haggling for prices.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Travelling through Europe, Severus explored magical and Muggle villages alike. It was in a Magical village on the outskirts of Madrid that he found himself resting for a few days when his life was turned rather spectacularly upside down.

He was sat outside a small café, enjoying a good coffee and a slice of pumpkin pie, when a rather clumsy young man tripped over his feet and banged into his chair. Lifting his head from his book to admonish the man, Severus found himself staring into the emerald green eyes of the Saviour of the Wizarding World. 

He well remembered the scandal, nearly seven years ago, when Harry Potter had just upped and left. No one had been able to explain it; no one had been able to find him. If the papers were to be believed, he'd left a note with Hermione Granger telling her that he was all right, and safe, but he needed to get away from the attention for a while. There had been a national outcry that Severus followed with disinterested amusement, but eventually people had stopped looking for Harry James Potter, just proving what Severus had known all along – that one mistake made you an outcast for life, but a million achievements would be forgotten before the ink on the paper declaring them was dry. 

Setting his book down on the table top, Severus considered the boy – well, the man – for a moment before speaking slowly. "Mr. Potter. Your disappearing act was not a complete success, I see."

Cursing, Harry rolled his eyes. "Of all the people in the world, I run into you."

" _'Trip over'_ would be a more accurate description. What are you doing here?"

"I don't have to answer that. What are you doing here? Did Ginny send you? Or Hermione?"

"Believe me, Mr Potter, neither of those two harridans would send me anywhere but in the opposite direction to them. Surprisingly enough, I am not here to chase after you and rectify your mistakes, but to enjoy a holiday. Which, I am sad to realise, will now be beleaguered by your continued existence."

Scowling, Harry turned and stormed away, and Severus realised that he had, perhaps, been too harsh. The locals who called out greetings to everyone that passed had not called out to Harry – he obviously had not made friends here. Perhaps Severus was the first face from Harry's past that the younger man had seen in seven years. Sighing, Severus picked up his book and left some money on the table to cover the coffee, food, and a healthy tip. He set off in the direction Harry had gone, soon seeing the brunette hurrying down a side street. "Potter!"

The brunette broke into a run, and Severus cursed loudly. "Potter! Stop!"

He was surprised when the other man came to a stand still, and Severus moved towards him with his fingers on his wand, prepared for a fight. But Harry did not draw his wand, and Severus took his hand from his robes slowly. "Potter, what are you doing?"

"Going home. Please, just leave me alone!"

"Are you aware of the pandemonium you caused when you left? Of the devastation you left in your wake?"

Harry scowled, and crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you care about what I left behind?"

"When the useless drivel of every reporter's opinion on it clutters up my morning newspaper, I care moderately."

"Then don't read the fucking paper!"

Severus reeled back slightly at the venom and the words used, but he could see something underlying the anger on Harry's face, something that looked an awful lot like fear. Severus was reminded that there had not been a scrap of fear in the young boy who had stood up and spoken in his defence, in all likelihood keeping Severus from the Kiss. Severus did not like being reminded that he was in debt to Harry, and perhaps running into the younger man could be used to square away his debt and allow him to move on. "You and I must talk."

"I have nothing to say to you."

Severus growled – even a decade later, the boy was still impertinent and stubborn. "For Merlin's sakes, Potter, you will meet me tomorrow for coffee, that we may square our lives and hopefully never see each other again!"

The man nodded at him curtly and then sneered, "Am I dismissed now?"

Snarling, Severus jerked his head and watched as Harry stormed away. Truth be told, he did not expect to ever see the brunette again, but at least he had done his part. Now he could leave this village with his conscience clear, and Potter could be damned for all Severus cared.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry slammed the front door shut behind him and cast his wards without thinking about it. The spells came easily after the years of casting them, and once he was satisfied that he was secure, Harry headed into the bathroom and set the taps running. He poured bubble bath carelessly into the water and stripped his clothes off, sinking into the large, sunken tub and leaning back against the tiled sides, his back protected by a cushioning spell.

The water lapped at his chin, and Harry took his glasses off and put them on the side, dunking under the water for as long as he could hold his breath. Splashing back up, he wiped his eyes and leant back again, letting the water soothe his body. Seeing Snape had made his heart race, and his chest ached as he tried to calm down. Of all the people to stumble over him in his hideaway, it had to be the one man he was incapable of successfully lying to. The one man who could read him like a book, and would be totally unsympathetic when he had done. 

Groaning, Harry felt anger bubble inside him and sat up, grabbing the first thing to hand and flinging it across the room. The glass decanter shattered over the tiles on the wall, staining the floor of his wet room with bubble bath. Harry had been so careful – casting spells to hide his magical signature, cutting the people he loved out of his life to protect them and himself, and now Severus Snape had just waltzed into Harry's carefully crafted life and screwed it all up. 

Closing his eyes again, Harry offered up a prayer to the gods that he would just get through meeting Snape for coffee, and then he'd be free to be alone again.


	3. Chapter Three - Coffee

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2200  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

Thanks to Lire_Casander for the translation help here.

 

 

 

Harry woke up early the next morning, lost in a nightmare of Snape throwing coffee beans at him and Ginny telling him to jump. He shook his head, trying to clear away the last tendrils of the nightmare, and glanced at the clock. It had occurred to him last night that Snape hadn't given a time for coffee, or even really done more than imply that they'd be meeting today. But Harry knew implicitly that Snape had meant today, and that Snape would be there around noon. 

Shaking his head, Harry climbed out of bed and stretched, smiling at the sensation of being free from glamours. He'd need to be extra careful with them today – Snape had been as surprised by Harry's presence as he had been by Snape's, so wouldn't have been looking for anything amiss. But if Harry knew Snape, which he was certain he did, the older wizard would be studying him closely today for any signs of a weakness that could be exploited. And Harry was not prepared to have Snape of all people finding out his weaknesses. 

Casting the glamours carefully, Harry dressed in light cotton trousers and a loose fitting tee shirt. The noon sun would be warm, and he didn’t want squirming from heat to be misinterpreted as anything else. Like fear. Because he'd be damned if he had Snape thinking he was afraid. He checked his glamours again and exhaled slowly. Deciding to pass the morning doing something he enjoyed, Harry headed into the kitchen and threw open the back door, smiling at the view, despite the situation waiting for him. 

Putting on the kettle, he made a cup of tea, hot and sweet, and found some fruit and cheese. Putting his breakfast on a plate, he picked up the mug and went outside, sitting on his porch and curling up to watch the sun rise over the far horizon.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus stood quietly, sipping carefully at a cup of coffee as he watched the sun rise. He had slept badly, kept up most of the night wondering what could have Harry Potter scared enough to flee his life in Britain to a small village in the middle of nowhere. For all that could be said against him, Harry had always been sociable unless provoked. And as no other aspect of his life had escaped the gossip rag that masqueraded as a daily newspaper, Severus knew that no confrontation could have occurred strong enough to push Harry into running away.

Because Harry did not run away. From accounts of the events of that fateful evening, Harry had walked calmly to his death for the greater good. Though Severus could – and often did, very loudly – criticise the boy on a myriad of points, he could not fault him for that.

Which brought Severus back to his current musings. Harry had always been sociable, and to see him walking around, not acknowledged by the locals, was troubling. This was a Wizarding village – surely they knew who he was?

Shaking his head, Severus finished his coffee and cast the rising sun one more glance before turning back into the small board house he was residing in. Heading to the kitchen to wash his cup, he found the owner, Señora Cruz, slicing oranges. He nodded respectfully and moved to peel the oranges that remained to be sliced. They worked in silence, and when he was finished she spoke in heavily-accented English, "Thank you." 

"My pleasure, Señora. May I ask a question?"

"But of course."

"Do you know anything of a young man, who…"

"Aaah, I know of him, but yet know nothing of him."

Severus stopped and turned to face the old witch. She smiled at his evident confusion, and pushed him softly into a chair as though he were a child. Which, he supposed, to her he was. 

"You speak of the man who lives on the outskirts of the village?"

"I… I'm not sure where he lives."

"Ebony hair and eyes like jewels?"

Severus nodded, and Señora Cruz sat down on the chair next to him. "I know of him, but beyond that nothing. He keeps to himself, and we do not wish to push him further. All those who live here see that he is seeking solace, and we will not intrude. Why do you ask of him?"

"Curiosity."

"Then a visit to Señora Vidente will sate you. She owns the cottage at the end of the main road."

Severus nodded, thanking his host before returning to his room. Finding his wallet, he checked his watch before heading off to do a little research on his coffee date.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Señora Vidente opened the door and stared at the dour man holding a bouquet of roses. "I hate roses."

A flick of his wrist, and he presented her with three large, full sunflowers. "These?"

"Are more to my tastes. Come in, and sit down."

Stepping inside, Severus followed the elderly woman to a lounge cluttered with all manner of crystals and decorations, and sat down on a comfy chair next to her. "I came to ask…"

"About the quiet one, I know."

"Señora Cruz rang you?"

"Do you see a phone?"

Looking around, Severus could see many things, but not a phone. He did see many items telling of a Seer, and made a mental note to be wary – his experiences with Seers thus far in life did not endear them to him. 

"I have no wish to See your future, so please relax. You wish to know of the quiet one, so I will tell you. As much as I know is this. He came here, nearly seven years past, in the dead of night. He bought the large farmhouse that overlooks the horizon, and he tends the vineyards there, selling the wine made to the local publicano. He speaks when spoken to, and is respectful to all he converses with. He is a good man."

Severus nodded, and leant forwards slightly. "And does he socialise, with other people living here?"

"Heavens, no. And we will not push him. He has done what was asked of him, and now must be free to live his life with his secrets until he decides to share them."

"You mean about the war?"

"If you say I do."

Severus went to question the riddle, but the old woman had stood up and was shuffling into the back room. He took this as his cue to leave, and exited the house slowly. He wasn't entirely sure he'd learnt anything he couldn't have surmised by himself, but it was reassuring to know that the locals didn’t hate Harry. What was worrying was that the brunette's solitude was self-inflicted. 

Glancing at his watch, Severus saw that it was almost noon, and began walking towards the small coffee shop where he had first seen Harry.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Walking slowly, Harry took deep, calming breaths as he approached the table Snape was just getting comfortable at. He stopped short and cleared his throat, waiting for Snape to look up before speaking. "Will we be long?"

"Somewhere to be?"

"It's lunch time. If we'll be long, I need to eat."

Severus nodded, and Harry headed into the small café. Watching and listening, Severus was surprised to hear Harry conversing in Spanish with the young man behind the bar.

_"... dos expressos, una paella vegetal, y dos porciones de tarta de calabaza, por favor."_

_"Sin problema, señor. ¿Está sentado fuera?"_

_"Sí, a la izquierda. Gracias."_

As Harry sat back down with the coffees, Severus raised an eyebrow. "I did not know you were fluent in Spanish?"

"Picked up what I need, living here. There's plenty you don’t know about me."

"Evidently."

They sat in an uncomfortable silence, watching people walk by as children played in the plaza. The man from behind the counter brought out their food, and Severus watched and listened as he flirted with Harry, and the brunette politely but firmly declined him. As the man walked away, however, Severus did catch a fleeting, but longing glance from Harry at the man, but it was not his place to question. "You ordered for me?"

"Seemed courteous." Harry put some paella on a plate for Severus, then served himself and began to eat. He was hungry – it'd been almost three hours since he last ate and that wasn't good for him. Once he'd finished he felt better equipped to face this conversation, and began to eat his pie with slightly more restraint. "So, what do you want to say to me?"

Swallowing, Severus set his fork down and took a sip of water. "Merely to thank you for the part you played in my trial."

"You had a chance to thank me outside the Wizengamot and shunned it. Why bother now?"

"It seems to me that you need to hear it more now than you did then."

Harry faltered slightly, unsure of how to deal with this – not soft, but neutral – tone from his most hated Professor. So he just nodded a little, and then gestured to Severus' plate. "You going to finish that?"

"Be my guest. Hungry?"

Pulling the plate to him, Harry took his fork from his empty plate and began to eat. "I'm a growing boy."

"You're what, twenty-eight now? A little too old to use that school-boy favourite excuse."

Harry snorted, and took a mouthful of water to clear his throat. "Ron still uses that excuse, so…" Realising what he'd said, Harry trailed off and flushed slightly. Somehow, being with someone from his past had disabled the carefully crafted thought processes that kept him from thinking about the life he had left behind. He waited for the attack, but it did not come. Instead, came a slowly spoken, quiet question. 

"Why did you leave?" 

"It doesn't matter."

It wasn't his place to push, and Severus finished his coffee and cleared his throat. "Did you pay?"

"Yeah."

"Then allow me to…"

"It's not a problem."

Severus nodded and stood up. He checked for his wallet, and was about to say goodbye when Harry spoke. "Are you here long?"

"As long as I want to be. Why?"

Flushing a little, Harry rolled his shoulder and focused on pushing the rest of Snape's paella around his plate. "If you want to do this again…"

He had no idea why he was offering, and from the look on Snape's face, neither did the other man. But Harry had offered; it was almost nice spending time with Snape, just for the reassurance that, if the bad memories could be true, so could the good. That perhaps the world he'd left behind was still existing peacefully, and he could assuage the fears that he had done something awful by removing himself from it. 

"Why…"

"Because I'm not the child I once was. It was just an offer, you can refuse."

His rapid mind turning over the hour they had spent together thus far, Severus could find no marks against Harry. Nodding slowly, he sat back in his seat and folded his legs carefully. "I have heard you have a vineyard?"

"Yeah, I do."

Severus waited, watching as confusion flitted across Harry's face and raising an eyebrow. The brunette caught on, and chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Sorry. Would you like to see it?"

"Perhaps. I planned this afternoon to walk the market, and see what was for sale."

Harry nodded, and polished off the last of the paella. "I need to go into Madrid tomorrow, for some things that I can't get here. How about the day after? If we meet here for morning coffee about ten, I'll walk you down and show you around."

"That sounds pleasant. Enjoy your day tomorrow."

Harry nodded in response, watching as the older man stalked away. Sighing, he eyed the empty plates and tried to quiet his growling stomach. Leaving a substantial tip on the table, he stood up and turned down the street that would lead him home. It was… almost _pleasant_ to speak to someone from his past, even if it did make him ache for home. He'd have to ask Snape not to tell anyone he was here, and he was sure the older man would keep quiet. If he didn't, then Harry would just have to move. No fuss, no hassle. 

He hoped, however, that Severus would prove to be more discreet than that.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus bought fruit and cheese at the market, as well as a bottle of sweet wine for his hostess. Señora Cruz went out of her way for her guests; he thought it only fair he should go out of his way for her. Being in the glorious sunshine, away from people who knew his past, was doing wonders for Severus' disposition. He was smiling on occasion, when his expression wasn't twisted into thought as he mused on Harry.

The atmosphere between them seemed different. It was no longer tense and fraught with past grievances, but instead felt like an uneasy peace. And Severus' curiosity was piqued – he wanted to know why Harry was hiding himself away in a remote village in Spain. It didn't seem to fit with what Severus knew to be true about Harry, or what he believed to be true in his less charitable moments. 

Smirking softly, he decided that a little Legilimency may be in order, just to satisfy the curiosity burning in his stomach. He wouldn't pry, just find out what Harry was in self-imposed exile for. The brunette would never even know it had happened.


	4. Chapter Four - Vineyard

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2600  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,   
**Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

Thanks to Lire_Casander for the translation help.

 

 

 

 

Harry moved quickly through the bustling streets, careful not to bang into any other people and watching his back at all times. On top of his usual glamours he had additional ones in place to mask his appearance, giving him dirty blonde hair, blue eyes, and significantly more tanned skin. He picked up a few things from shops that caught his eye, but maintained his purposeful walk to the small English shop in a forgotten side street. 

The bell overhead tinkled as he opened the door, and Harry smiled as the elderly woman shuffled to the front. She greeted him and enquired after his health in accented English. He kept up the light conversation as he walked the shop and got the things he wanted, smiling graciously as the woman passed him a paper bag to put his purchases in. He bought tea and marmite, the staples of British life that he could not live without, along with some biscuits and sweets. Even years out of school, he still liked to have sherbet lemons about the house for when he was stressed out. 

Stepping out of the shop with a cheery goodbye, Harry walked the streets a little slower now that he had what he needed. He passed an open-air market, and on a whim decided to walk through the middle of it. As he passed the food stalls, Harry wondered if Severus was expecting to be fed. Sighing, Harry moved to one of the stalls and surveyed the food. Selecting some fruits, meat and cheese, he paid and slipped them into his bag, moving to the next stall and selecting spices to use for the dessert – oranges in wine – and the rest to go with the meal. 

Satisfied that he couldn't be called on being a bad host, Harry rebalanced the bag on his hip and checked that his glamours were still holding with a crafty look in a shop window. Pleased with what he saw, Harry began walking back along the streets to the Apparition point that would take him home.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus leant back in the chair and sipped gently at the sangria in his hand. This was the life, and not for the first time Severus had the fleeting thought that perhaps he could just stay here, draw a line under the history that was held in Britain and start anew here. In this little village, he'd seen that even if they knew your past, they would not push you on it. Although, he didn't see Harry being too pleased about it.

Snorting, Severus derided himself quietly. What did it matter what the brat thought? And when exactly had he stopped thinking about Potter as 'Potter'? Shaking his head, Severus put it down to a lapse in sanity and took a deep draught of his drink. But now he'd started, Severus found that he could not stop thinking about the boy. He was burning with curiosity, desperate to know what exactly had driven Harry to this remote village, and what was keeping him here. 

Severus had never been a patient man, and he found himself wishing away the night that he may meet with Harry and find out his answers.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus arrived at the coffee shop dot on ten, spotting Harry at the same table they'd lunched at two days ago. He moved over and sat down, greeting Harry with a curt nod. As he went to speak, the waiter from inside came out with a tray, and Severus settled back to watch as the man flirted with Harry.

"Aquí tiene sus dos cafés y los dos trozos de tarta. ¿Quiere algo más el señor?"

"No, muchas gracias, así está bien."

"¿Y su padre?"

Harry laughed, and shook his head softly. "Oh, ¡eso le molestará! Es un amigo, no mi padre."

Severus wondered why the waiter had cast him a quick look before blushing and muttering, "Por favor, acepte mis disculpas, señor."

Harry shook his head, laughing quietly to himself and reaching for his fork. He was about to pop the piece of pie into his mouth when he saw Severus' quizzical, expectant look. "What?"

"What was that?"

"Oh… he, uhm, asked if I wanted anything else."

"And?"

"And asked if my father wanted anything else either."

As Harry dissolved into giggles again, and popped the pie into his mouth, Severus attempted to slip unnoticed into his mind. It had always been such an easy job, and Severus was expecting to glide through Harry's synapses like a warm knife through butter. He wasn't expecting to hit a solid, impenetrable wall. Stunned, he pulled back out and refocused his attention on Harry as the younger man spoke.

"I told him you weren't my father, just my friend. However, I didn’t realise friends used Legilimency against each other?"

"You said I was your… what?"

Harry raised an eyebrow, and then rolled his shoulders, setting his fork down and sighing softly. "Idiot me for thinking you'd changed. I guess this was just a fact-finding mission."

Severus saw Harry begin to stand, and reached his hand out quickly, closing his fingers around the other man's wrist. "Harry, please."

They both looked at Severus holding Harry's wrist, and Severus wondered how come the weather was so hot that the air around him crackled. Shaking his head, he let go of the brunette's wrist when Harry sat back down and stared sullenly at the table top. "I apologise. I should not have allowed my curiosity to get the better of me like that."

"Why do you even care?"

That was a hard question, and Severus pondered it for a moment before he answered, surprised by the desire to be honest with this man who was so alike, and yet so different to, the boy Severus remembered. "Because, in much the same way as you are not the boy you were ten years ago, I am not the man."

Shaking his head, Harry ran his fingers through his hair and ignored his grumbling stomach for the moment. "I really don't want to talk about it. I'm not hurt, and no one is in any danger. I just needed to be away from that place."

Nodding, Severus picked up his coffee and took a sip, smiling as the bitter wonder swished over his tongue. "When did you refine your Occlumency skills?"

Picking up his fork, Harry resumed eating and spoke as he ate, ignoring the slightly disdainful look Severus cast at his full, open mouth. "I've practiced lots of things, to keep me occupied while I'm here. I'm better at a lot of things. I can even make a few potions without hurting myself."

"I'll believe that when I see it."

Laughing, Harry flicked a piece of pastry at Severus and grinned. "Wine-making is much like potion making, and I do that well. I'll show you, when we're finished here."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was warm, even for Spain, and when they arrived at his home Harry had only one thing on his mind. Raising the wards he gestured for Severus to follow him, and entered his house, making a beeline for the fridge. Reaching in, he pulled out two bottles of beer, flipping the cap off one and taking a deep draught. Belching loudly, he grinned and held out the unopened bottle to Severus.

Raising a brow at the vulgar display, Severus nonetheless took the offered beer and opened it, sipping at it in a much more refined manner. He couldn't help but notice that, even though they'd finished pie not twenty minutes ago, Harry was reaching into an obscenely full fridge and pulling out a chunk of cheese and an apple. The brunette offered Severus something to eat, which he declined, and then headed to the back door. "Still want to see the vineyards?"

"It would be pleasurable, yes."

Harry had decided that, when the older man wasn't snarking at him, he really had a very nice voice. And then there was the way his long, elegant fingers curled around the bottle neck. Shaking his head softly, Harry resolved to have some alone time that night – if he was critically appraising Severus Snape then he really, really needed to get some. 

As they walked up and down the rows of grape vines, Harry explained in simple terms the process of wine making, from planting the seeds and pruning the plants to get the right leaf area/fruit ratio, to picking the grapes and fermenting the wine. Severus found that it was in fact a fascinating process, and it was only when they neared the place they had started from that he realised they'd been walking and talking for well over three hours. It was now late afternoon, and Harry's stomach wasn't the only one complaining loudly about the lack of food.

Chuckling, Harry turned to Severus and shot the other man a small smile. "Would you like to stay for an early tea?"

"If it will not inconvenience you too much?"

Shaking his head, Harry took the empty bottles they'd been carrying around with them, and dropped them into the recycling bin next to the porch, heading back into the house and moving to the fridge. He prepared coffee, and then left Severus sat at the table while he pulled out the required ingredients. He wondered if he should make conversation, but Severus seemed to beat him to it. "What are you making, and can I help?" 

"Tortilla de patata, and I'm all right thank you. Living out here, I kind of had to improve my cooking skills or live off fruit and cheese. Which I wouldn't have minded, but it seemed proper to learn to cook."

Severus chuckled, and watched in interest as Harry sliced and fried the potatoes and onions, adding copious amounts of olive oil at every turn. Excusing himself to use the bathroom, Severus paused on the way back to the kitchen to admire the impressive book collection Harry had. Re-entering the room just as Harry was dishing up, Severus accepted the glass of wine held out to him and sat down at the table. "You have an impressive collection of books."

"Yep. I don't sleep much, so I fill the time reading."

Smiling, Severus took a bite and hummed. Harry chuckled, and tucked into his own. "It's good, huh?"

"Very. Though, I never had you down as a reader?"

"I never needed to be – Hermione used to do that for me."

Severus saw the tensing in Harry's body, and chose not to push. Instead he chuckled darkly and continued eating for a moment. "I saw issues of _Potions pour la Médecine_ \- that's a rather academic journal. Even I find it difficult to read."

"I think I got a free trial subscription, and just never remembered to cancel it."

That was a lie if ever Severus had heard one, but unfathomably he was struck by the desire not to push Harry. The younger man had been a gracious host, and there was no need to ruin a perfectly enjoyable evening. Which, Severus realised with a jolt, this was. Since ten that morning, he had not felt the urge to demean or belittle Harry. He had not seen the other man as anything other than himself, no longer seeing his childhood rival or friend in expression and eyes. Severus knew that he had gone soft with no brats to sharpen his tongue on, but this was a testament to just how much he had mellowed.

Refusing the second helpings offered to him, Severus stood and helped Harry clear the table before accepting the oranges in wine the brunette pulled from the fridge. Over dessert they spoke more, and Severus was surprised to find that Harry was a competent conversationalist, and spoke with enthusiasm and vigour on topics that caught his attention. The time spent reading had done him good, for Harry no longer raised his voice or got angry when Severus refuted his ideas, merely backed them up with further evidence until they were forced to accept they held differing academic views. 

Lending a hand with the washing up, Severus accepted the drink offered to him and followed Harry out onto the porch, seating himself comfortably and happy to continue their discussion. 

Somehow, they ended up talking well into the night, and it was only when Harry stifled a yawn that Severus noted the stars. "I apologise, for staying so long past my welcome."

"Don't, I had a good time. If you're staying in the village longer, you're welcome to come back."

Severus nodded and stood up slowly. "I may take you up on that offer. This has proved to be a surprisingly enjoyable evening."

Harry grinned and stood as well. He walked Severus back through the house and onto the front porch, surprised and pleased when the older man held out his hand. Shaking it, Harry bade him goodnight and retreated into the house. Setting the wards, he headed into the bathroom, leaving a trail of clothes behind him. Turning on the taps with a wave of his hand, Harry set about removing his glamours as the tub filled slowly.

Severus had gotten maybe two minutes down the road before he realised his jacket was still at Harry's. Turning back, he moved swiftly so that he impinged on as little of Harry's time as was possible. Knocking on the door, Severus received no answer, and decided to skirt around the property to see if Harry had returned to the back porch – the younger man had mentioned that he loved sitting there and watching the stars. 

Reaching the back of the house, Severus couldn't see Harry, but a light on caught his attention. Peering into the window, Severus raised his knuckles to rap on the glass but paused midway, his mouth dropping open in the most undignified way as he looked at Harry.

Naked and stood next to the sunken tub with his back to the window, Severus' eyes weren't on the long, lean limbs, the taut skin, the smooth muscles, or the glorious tan. They were fixed on the long black tail protruding from the brunette's tailbone. It was thick and sleek, ending in a dull point and swishing to the sides as Harry stepped into the bath and lowered himself. 

Shaking out of his reverie, Severus turned and left the property, using all he'd learnt as a spy to avoid making a sound. Moving quickly back to the guest house, he found the owner in the kitchen and bowed his head respectfully. "Señora Cruz, is there a library nearby?"

"Sí, in Madrid. But it will not be open until the morning. Why do you ask?"

"I wish to research something. I shall go to Madrid in the morning then, please tell me if there is anything you require me to bring back with me."

She shook her head no, and Severus retired to his room. He'd brought some books with him, enough to start preliminary research tonight. Grabbing a quill and piece of parchment, Severus made a few notes. Things were beginning to click into place – Harry's abrupt exit from Wizarding society, his impressive appetite and, of course, his tail, all pointed to the brunette being much more than met the eye.

As he wrote, Severus remembered the words that had passed between him and   
Señora Vidente,

_"He has done what was asked of him, and now must be free to live his life with his secrets until he decides to share them."_

_"You mean about the war?"_

_"If you say I do."_

Sighing softly, Severus chastised himself for not seeing the double meaning sooner, and settled in for a long night reading.


	5. Chapter Five  Confrontation

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2200  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

Severus groaned, and looked back over his list. After two days of work, all he had to show for his hard work was a list of things Harry definitely wasn't. He'd scoured every book that the Wizarding library in Madrid had on Creatures and was no closer to an answer than when he’d begun. He'd briefly considered that it may be a curse or a hex, but Harry was a powerful wizard; Severus admitted that freely to himself, whatever he may say in polite company. And besides, a hex or a curse would have been all over the papers to incite fear, and the nosey wench would have found a way to reverse it. 

No, the only thing that made sense was being a Creature, and Severus could find no trace of any creature that matched Harry's symptoms. But then again, perhaps there were other symptoms that Severus could not see. Perhaps the appetite wasn't a symptom, but a basic part of Harry's nature. Six years having to watch the brat eat proved to Severus that Harry had always had an appetite. 

Shaking his head, Severus closed the book he was staring at and pinched the bridge of his nose tightly. He knew his initial assumption was right, all he had to do now was work out a way to prove it. Pulling another dusty volume towards him, Severus continued on with his battle.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry chastised himself as he walked home slowly. Why on earth he was even bothered about whether or not he saw Severus again was a mystery. But still he kicked pebbles along the road and scowled at his trainers as he walked. It had been nice, to interact with someone again. But now that Severus was gone, Harry was left with an even bigger ball of homesickness in his stomach. He couldn't go back, though, so he'd just have to get over it.

But really, spending three days straight going to the little coffee shop in the hopes he'd see Severus was just wrong. Why on earth was he so obsessed anyway? It was only conversation, and he'd lasted seven years without that; there was no need for the pattern to change now. Perhaps he should take up the waiter on the constant flirting, and relieve some stress. 

Shaking his head at himself, Harry fished out his keys and lowered the wards on his home before unlocking the door and walking in. It was hot, and he was sticky, and Harry decided that he wanted a bath, regardless of the fact it was the middle of the afternoon. 

Heading into the wet room, he ran the water and filled it with bath oils, stripping off and stepping into the bath. It was large enough for him to swim a few laps, and he did so before relaxing on one of the ledges he'd applied cushioning charms to. He sank down in the water up to his chin and sighed happily. He'd used too much oil, but it gave the water a pleasantly slick feeling. He ran his hands down his chest and shuddered softly at the sensation. 

Sliding forward on the seat, Harry brought one leg up and propped his foot up on the other side of the ledge, where it curved round the corner of the bath. Humming happily, Harry closed his eyes and ran his hands over his skin again. Focusing on his sac, he rolled, squeezed and cupped the sensitive ovals, whimpering as his cock stiffened and begged for attention. Keeping one hand on his sac, still rolling and squeezing gently, Harry moved the other to curl around his shaft.

His head dropped back to the cushioned side of the bath, and Harry whimpered low in his throat as his practised fingers manipulated his cock, tugging at his foreskin and trailing over his swollen glans just the way he liked. His toes curled against the tiles when he pushed the tip of his tail teasingly at his arse, using the water as lubrication and sliding inside. The blunt tip flicked over his prostate, and Harry groaned again as pleasure began to build inside him. 

He clenched around his tail, smiling at the sensation. Thrusting gently into himself, he matched the speed of his tail to the speed of his hand, and began to squeeze his balls more firmly. The pleasure in his groin shot up and down his nervous system, finally finding release through his cock as he soiled the water and gasped for breath. 

Slumped lax against the edge, Harry tormented himself for a little while, flicking his tail over his over-sensitive prostate until the jolts of pleasure were too much to bear and he had to withdraw, body still spasming randomly. A soft, satisfied sigh graced his lips, and Harry just relaxed for a few more minutes, before he felt ready to tackle the stairs that would lead him out of the bath. 

His muscles trembled a little as he walked, the sign of a good orgasm, and Harry pulled on a pair of light cotton pyjama pants, flicking his tail out through the slit in the back. He grabbed the towel and rubbed furiously at his hair, taking the excess water from the inky locks. But he was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell, and quickly put his glamours back on as he darted to the front door. Opening it, he was surprised to see Severus stood there. The older man just looked at him for a moment, and Harry was suddenly very aware of how little he was wearing, and that it was still only half past three. 

"May I come in?"

Harry nodded and stepped back, letting Severus in and closing and warding the front door behind him. Severus followed the brunette into the living room, and now that he looked and truly focused, Severus could see the faint hint of a glamour. But it was very faint – Harry was good at this. Shaking himself mentally, Severus refocused his attention. He'd ascertained that the brunette used a glamour; there was no need to keep staring at that firm, pert bottom. So naturally Severus' memory immediately pulled up the front view, and Severus couldn't escape the mental vision of impossibly tight stomach muscles that just begged to be licked…

Clearing his throat, Severus banished the thoughts from his mind with great effort. He sat down and accepted the offered drink. Once Harry was sat comfortably – he sat with his legs slightly open, probably to accommodate the extra appendage – Severus cleared his throat. "I have… I would like for you to listen to me from start to finish before you cast judgment."

Harry was immediately on his guard, but he nodded softly. Severus took another sip of cool liquid, and set his glass down on the coaster. "The other evening, I left my jacket here. When I returned you did not answer the door, so I walked around the house to see if you had returned to the porch. You had not, but a light on caught my eye. Wrong as it is, I looked in to see if I could attract your attention. I saw you… ah… preparing for your bath."

Harry blushed and crossed his arms protectively over his chest. "Dirty old… oh, gods…" Trailing off, Harry looked up at Severus, knowing his expression was fearful and pleading. _'Please, please don't have seen, please don't have seen, please don't have seen, pleasepleasepleaseplease.'_

Severus nodded at the unspoken question, and flinched as Harry collapsed back into the chair, looking small and lost. "I have researched, but unless my assumptions are flawed, which I doubt, I cannot work out what Creature you are."

Harry jumped up as he began to yell, knowing he was panicking but unable to get a hold on himself. "Why would you need to know? So you can take me back there? Tell everyone what a freak I am and put me on display? This is why I left, so that no one would look at me and now you've ruined everything and…"

Standing up, Severus took Harry firmly by the arms and sat him in the chair. "Harry, you are panicking. Stop and take some deep breaths." He was surprised when the brunette did just that, but Severus didn't let it show. He waited until the pattern of in through the nose and out through the mouth didn't seem so forced, and then returned to his seat, "It is not my business to tell others…"

"It's not your business to know!"

"That is as it is. But I do know. Harry, I have no intention of telling anyone else. My question is more why haven't you? Yes, Wizarding society can be insensitive about those with Creature heritages, but your friends would not have been. They were good friends, Harry, they fought by your side where many others – where _most_ others – abandoned you. They would not have turned their backs on you. And Harry, you are either something very rare or completely original, for I can find nothing in any books that matches you."

Harry didn't respond, and Severus sighed softly. He stood up and was about to leave, when the other man spoke quietly. 

He didn’t know why he was speaking. Severus could be trusted to keep his mouth shut, and if Harry let him walk out of that door then all his problems would be over. He'd have to move of course, but that was easy enough to do. And yet Harry _wanted_ to talk. He wanted to share the weight of the world with someone else, and Severus was here and offering. Neither of them were who they used to be, and Harry wondered if perhaps this was a risk he might not regret. "What did you search for? As indicators?"

Sitting back down, Severus slipped into an academic frame of mind. "The tail and the increased appetite."

Harry nodded softly and closed his eyes. "Add in complete and total obedience and you have them all."

"I don't understand."

Harry sighed, and opened his eyes again. "You're right, it is rare. It hasn't ever existed in Britain, and the last official case on the continent was centuries ago. The gene is dormant, got into my bloodline through some relative that married an Italian bloke. And naturally, if it's weird and hinky, then it'll rear its head in my life. Wait here."

Doing as asked, Severus' mind ran over what Harry had told him, but still couldn't pluck out a Creature that matched these tells. Harry returned and handed Severus a thin, dusty book, opening it to the right page and flopping back into his chair. Severus noticed the tail flicking idly between his calves, and couldn’t help but stare. Harry must have seen him, because he sighed softly. "It feels better without the glamours, but if it offends you I'll put them back on."

"No, this is your home, you should be comfortable in it."

The other man nodded in thanks, and Severus took another sip of his drink before he focused his attention on reading the page in front of him. 

 

_In ancient lore, the Sottomesso stood apart from other creatures, due to the sheer submissiveness of its demeanour, and its inability to bond with those of its own race. While Vampires, Werewolves, and Elves took on the dominant roles in Creature-Mortal bonds, or bonded with others of their race, and even the Incubi could exert sheer determination and go against the wishes of their Bonded, the Sottomesso had no such recourse._

_Believed to be born of a curse lain upon a young man by an angered Fae on the eve of his twenty-first year, the Sottomesso are cursed to remain eternally obedient. From a request to pass water to an order to jump over a cliff, the Sottomesso are bound and constrained to obey not just the orders of those closest to them, but any order directed at them, from any outside party._

_Passed through the paternal line and afflicting only male progenies, the Sottomesso curse is believed to have been almost eradicated, through malicious intent of nefarious individuals and the self-imposed solitude of Sottomesso, to avoid worse fates. Those who do live lead quiet and reserved lives, usually staying with other magical creatures, where respect for their affliction is higher._

_On the eve of their twenty-first birthday, the Sottomesso will feel a pull to their place of birth that will be impossible to ignore. Once there, they will undergo any one of a number of transformations. Sottomesso take on physical characteristics which most suit their temperaments; some may remain as they were before, some may be unrecognisable as mortals._

_Contrary to expectations, Sottomesso are powerful creatures, able to bend magic, time, and space to their wills. This is the quality most exploited by those with lesser intents, and while the Sottomesso are unable to deny the orders given them, they are still able to feel guilt and remorse. Many take their own lives in the face of the things they are asked to do._

_Though many lines of defence against the curse have been used, none can be held up as conclusively effective._

 

Severus closed the book, uncaring of what was to be said about Sphinxes. He took a few deep breaths and then looked up at Harry. "This is why you left?"

"This is why I left."


	6. Chapter Six - Conversations With A Creature

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2000  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,   
**Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

Severus read the passage in the book again and sighed softly. With most Creature heritages, the negatives were balanced by the things gained. But in this case, Severus could see no positives – Harry had always been a strong wizard, so he didn't even gain that. Looking up from the book again, Severus met Harry's gaze calmly. "Would you like me to leave, or will you permit me to ask questions?"

Rolling a shoulder, Harry shifted in the chair and curled his legs under him, summoning over a blanket, more for the protection the pseudo-barrier offered than any real need of the warmth. "You can stay."

Nodding his thanks, Severus set the book down on the coffee table and pressed his fingers together, his elbows on the arms of the chair and his legs crossed. "How did you know?"

"Besides waking up with a tail?"

Severus bristled at the flippant tone, and Harry held up his hands in defence. "Sorry, that was uncalled for. But you'll forgive my tone, you have backed me into a corner here."

"I am not forcing you to speak."

Harry fell silent, and Severus waited what felt like lifetimes before he decided that the brunette probably wasn't going to say anything else. So he was surprised when Harry did begin to speak, albeit quietly and falteringly. 

"It was the evening before my twenty-first, and I woke up panicked and desperate to go to Suffolk. I tried to tell myself I was being stupid, but the pull was so bad. I felt like climbing the walls, like tearing my heart out through my chest just so that it wouldn't bruise my ribs with every beat. I think I Apparated there, but I don't know. I just know that as soon as I'd decided to act on the urges, I was there. I knew, somehow I knew that I had to be upstairs, in the room at that back. That's where she had me. 

I walked all round that house, just looking at it. Some other family lives there now, or did when I went. They were out, on holiday or something. But it didn't matter, because I _knew_ which rooms were which. Where my nursery had been, the room they'd talked about the war in, the room they'd decided on their Secret Keeper in. It was like… like I was feeling all these emotions that seemed to just leak out of the walls. So I just sort of… curled up, on the floor, and went to sleep. When I woke up, I had this tail, and I felt different. Like something inside me was out of place."

Harry trailed off for a moment, and Severus waited him out. He knew it would do no good to force the man's tongue now, and sure enough, after time, Harry began to speak again. "That thing inside of me, it slips back into place when I'm doing what I'm told to. And I hate it, because it makes me weak. But I love it too, because it makes me feel right. Except, once the thrill is over with, I'm left wondering again. It terrifies me, because I can't stop myself obeying, no matter what I think or want. And if I hadn't killed Voldemort when I did, he'd have just had to tell me to surrender and I would have."

Again, the other man fell silent, but Severus would not have known what to say even if he were inclined to speak. It was a lot of information to take in over a short period of time, and Severus' head was reeling slightly. He was grateful that Harry was silent for the better part of twenty minutes before he spoke again. "I had to leave. I could have hurt people, and they could have hurt me."

"Harry, your friends…"

"It wasn't them. It was Ginny."

Unbecoming as it was, Severus gawped at Harry in shock. "Miss Weasley? But I thought you two were…"

"We were. It… she didn't know, but…"

"How did you hide it? You left Wizarding Britain more than three months after your twenty-first."

"Glamours. Everyone else was so wrapped up in themselves that glamours hid my tail. I've always been nice, y'know? So no one was surprised when I did things for them."

"And Miss Weasley used this against you?"

Harry shook his head and Summoned in two beers from the fridge, passing one to Severus and draining half of the other in one go. "No. She didn't know. Ginny is… was… she's pretty self-involved. She might have started to question my behaviour nearer the end, but I think she thought I was just so head over heels in love with her that I was acting out of devotion. I was afraid of what she _might_ have done. I don't know… she might have been really understanding, but I couldn't take that risk. A little before I left, she asked me to get her a place on the Holyhead Harpies. And she was probably just joking, but I had to do it. I lasted a day of refusing myself, before I got so sick and so out of my mind that I _had_ to do what she told me. And though she was thrilled, and assumed they'd just changed their minds, I felt so awful. I cheated someone else out of that place."

Severus sighed softly, and drank his beer for something to do. The more he listened to Harry's words, the more he realised the burden the brunette lived under. "Self-imposed solitude."

"Huh?"

Severus drained the bottle and waved his hand around, gesturing to the room they were in, "What the book said. Self-imposed solitude to avoid a worse fate. Who else knows?"

"No one."

He was humbled by that fact and Severus wasn't entirely sure what to say. So he said nothing, and the minutes slipped by them. Both men were startled out of their reverie when Harry's stomach rumbled, and the brunette blushed beautifully. "You hungry?"

"If it would not be an inconvenience."

Shaking his head, Harry stood up and headed into the kitchen. He pulled out some pasta and set it to boil, chopping vegetables into a jar of sauce and heating the lot. It was quick and simple, and he tucked in as soon as he sat down at the table. They ate in silence, Severus accepting a second helping to put off the inevitable conversation, while Harry went to fourths. It'd been almost seven hours since he'd last ate, and it wasn't good for him. 

"May I ask something?"

"Yup."

"The book didn’t mention an increased appetite?"

Harry shrugged and swallowed some water. "I have a fast metabolism anyway, and I think it's one of the quirky things that only show up in some Sottomesso. Like the tail is pretty specific to me, because my animagus form is a cat."

Severus smiled; the brunette _did_ have a certain feline grace to his movements. And the black hair and green eyes just enhanced the cat-like aura about the boy. "Is it sensitive?"

Harry flicked his tail up, and considered it for a moment. "Yeah. Strong, too – it can hold my weight from the rafters."

Chuckling darkly, Severus put on his best teacher-voice, "And I suppose you've tried this, Mr. Potter?"

"Hell yeah! There've got to be some upsides to being a freak. You want to see?"

"Perhaps later. Is it scales?" 

"Nope, fur." Crossing to where Severus was sat, he flicked his tail towards the older man and nodded softly. "You can touch it, if you like." 

Ignoring the strangely perverse feeling that accompanied touching Harry Potter's tail, Severus reached forward and ran his fingers over it. It was warm and smooth, and without bothering to ask, Severus coiled his fingers around the inch-thick muscle and stroked firmly. He felt the shiver that ran through Harry, and withdrew his hand almost guiltily. The brunette seemed to sway a little as he returned to his seat, but Severus put it down to a trick of his mind. 

Harry ignored the strange jolts running through his body – no one had ever touched his tail before – and pushed the remainder of his meal around his plate with his fork for a moment. "I… how long are you staying here?"

"Indefinitely, should I choose to. Why?"

"You're the smartest person I know. Is there any way I can undo this, or discount the effects? I will do anything to have a shot at a semi-normal life, and you seem like the kind of person that would be able to find out anything."

"Harry, I don't know that there is. But, if you would like my assistance, I will help. However, I would like to do something first."

Harry tensed a little, but looked up and met Severus' glittering onyx gaze without showing his internal trepidation. Severus met his gaze for a moment, and then spoke quietly. "I would like to give you an order, and observe you following it. Before you lose your temper, I give my word that there is no malicious intent behind this. I wish to see if there is any physical tell, however slight, that you are following an order out of compulsion, not choice. That would allow me to realise when I've phrased something badly, and rephrase it to be a question to you, and not a command."

Harry thought over the request for long minutes before he nodded softly. "All right."

The fact that Harry didn't stipulate conditions momentarily surprised Severus, but then he remembered the Slytherin tendencies that the boy kept so well hidden. By not stipulating conditions, Harry made it harder for Severus to cover all bases should he decide to violate Harry's trust, and thus making it easier for Harry to find a loophole. Leaning back in his chair, Severus considered Harry closely for a moment before he spoke. "Harry, stand up."

He couldn't see a visible change as the brunette followed the order, and Severus leant forward and focused just on Harry's expression. "Sit down."

It took multiple tries for Severus to spot the slight flicker in Harry's gaze – the way his eyes got a single shade darker. It was something that, unless he looked at Harry's eyes intently as he spoke, he would miss. Sighing, Severus shook his head and waited as Harry sat back down. "There is no physical difference, save a slight darkening of your eyes which will be easily missed. I will simply have to be careful how I address you."

Stifling a yawn, Harry nodded and stood up. "I don't mean to be rude, but I'm shattered. If you… I mean, unless you have something else planned, if you still want to help you could come by tomorrow?"

"I will do. I can see myself out."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus stood under the spray of the shower and mused quietly on the situation he'd stumbled into over the past week. It was confusing to find himself suddenly concerned with the welfare of someone he'd professed to hate for so long, someone he truly _had_ hated for so long. But he was concerned, and yet also impressed by the way Harry was dealing with it. Admittedly, he'd had seven years to accustom himself to the notion, but still… Severus would not have known the brunette were under the sway of a heritage had he not seen physical evidence of it.

And what physical evidence! Severus shivered slightly as he remembered the sensation of the thick, firm muscle in his hand. Quite unbidden, he wondered what other uses that tail had. 

Shocked by the turn his mind had taken, Severus lowered the temperature setting for the water and moved his mind onto more wholesome thoughts, but his hand still crept traitorously across his skin. After all, Severus was a man with needs. That was all. It was unconnected to Harry. And, as if to prove his point to himself, Severus found pleasure with the image of some magazine model he'd caught a glimpse of on the newspaper stands fixed firmly in his mind.


	7. Chapter Seven - A Kiss

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady > *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2500  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

This chapter is dedicated to the lovely, talented Chiakidark who drew me some [fanart](http://chiakidark.insanejournal.com/6546.html#cutid1) of Harry, *kisses*

 

 

 

Knowing the knock on the door would be Severus – no one else visited him here – Harry opened the locks with a wave of his hand, and returned to the book he was sprawled out on the floor reading. He looked up as footsteps announced Severus' entrance to the room; Harry smiled softly and hoped he wasn't visibly blushing. "Hi, Severus."

The night before he'd had a very vivid, very explicit dream about his old Potions Master. It'd come completely out of the blue and left Harry with a very deviant, dirty feeling that he couldn't shake off this morning. Over breakfast he'd attempted to rationalise it away as a combination of the stress of telling Severus, the relief that he hadn't been rejected out-right or his revelation abused, and a healthy dose of good old fashioned insanity. 

Wondering briefly what the younger man could possibly be blushing at, Severus nodded softly. "Good morning, Harry. I must confess to being surprised at such aptitude."

Looking about in confusion, Harry's mind caught up and he laughed self-deprecatingly. He sat up and crossed his legs, his tail curling automatically on the floor around him. "Well, I knew you were coming, so figured I should make it look like I work."

Severus chuckled and settled into the comfortable chair, his jacket laid neatly over the back as he Summoned one of the books to him. He studied the ancient text for long minutes before he spoke again, the hint of awe in his voice for the book, or so he told himself. "How did you manage to get hold of these books?"

Harry shrugged and glanced at the piles around him. "I bought a lot of the libraries of Dark wizards in the auctions. Originally, I was going to burn them all. But Hermione talked me out of it – doing that wouldn't help anyone, because forgetting and neglecting to inform people about Dark magic is what makes it seem so alluring. So I just kept them locked up at Gringotts. When I got settled over here, I had them sent over."

"You've had contact with people in England?"

Harry squirmed a little and looked away, his eyes clouding slightly at the memory. "No one important. Just the people I had to, to get my bank account emptied and transferred over here, and to move these books."

"Have you ever been back?"

It was a quiet question, softly spoken and run through with the tacit understanding that he did not have to answer it if he didn't want to. Harry looked up, still surprised that onyx eyes could be turned on him without hatred staining them. There was something about those eyes, when they were soft, that was glittering and alluring. Shaking his head slightly and ignoring the slight reverie he'd fallen into, Harry rolled one shoulder and flicked his tail absently. "Nope. I've thought about it, but never done it. It's too risky."

Nodding, Severus lapsed back into silence for the moment. He skim read the relevant sections of the book, but learnt nothing more about Sottomesso than he already knew. The reversal of a Creature Heritage was almost unheard of, practically impossible, and when it did occur it more often than not ended in pain and disfigurement. But conversely, he suspected that if anyone were to find a way to do it successfully it would be Harry. 

They read in companionable silence until Harry's stomach growled loudly, and the younger man stood up, stretching the kinks out of his back. "I'm going to get some fruit and put some lunch on. Do you want anything in particular?" 

Shaking his head no, Severus closed his book nonetheless and followed Harry into the kitchen, accepting a glass of juice and sitting at the table. As Harry prepared a light lunch, he ate fruit from a container he'd removed from the fridge, and Severus had to look away as the brunette wrapped pink lips around a segment of orange and sucked the juicy centre out. He didn't know what was wrong with him recently. 

Half wanting the distraction, half wanting a chance to stare at Harry's lips a little more, Severus asked, "Why, may I ask, are you so comfortable talking to me?"

Harry added seasoning to the sauce, and set the timer in case he got wrapped up in conversation and let the pasta overcook. "I don't know. I guess it's nice, to have someone who knows me to talk to. And I guess you aren't really the ogre I had you pinned as at Hogwarts."

Tipping his head, Severus cracked a smile at the gentle tease, and sipped his juice as Harry studied him for a moment. "I could ask the same. Why are you being nice, helping me out? You hated me, and your chance to be nice to me outside the Wizengamot… well, you pissed that one to the wind."

"What a delightful turn of phrase, Mr. Potter."

Snickering, Harry turned his attention back to the pasta, and Severus found that he was more willing to give an answer to the brunette's back, where those piercing eyes could not see him. Severus had no fear of Legilimency, but there was something in Harry's eyes that was penetrating, that could not be hidden from, and could see all Severus was. "You are not what I thought you to be."

"No shit."

"Language, Potter. I meant in more philosophical terms. Although, granted, the literal understanding is also applicable in this situation."

"Bloody hell. If you're going to be using these long words for the rest of the day, I'm going to need a beer. You want one?"

Shaking his head, Severus stood and offered his assistance with the lunch, setting plates and cutlery out as Harry split the long, flat linguini onto plates and doled sauce over it. Taking his seat, Severus knew it would be easier to talk while Harry was primarily occupied with eating, and he toyed his fork through his pasta almost absently as he continued his answer. "You know that your mother and I were friends. Well, for a while, I cared for her as more than a friend, deluded as I accept now, and accepted then, that my aspirations were. But the attentions of your father, and her like feelings, ignited jealousy in me, and in a fit of spite I burnt my bridges. 

"Of course, I grew up and apologised to Lily. But our friendship was too damaged to be returned to what it once was. I never forgave myself that, for costing myself her friendship. And then, of course, I chose my sides badly in the war, and cost more than just her friendship. My hatred of you was born of that. Of the lost aspirations, the friend I had forsaken and been unable to save. For many years I saw you as nothing but her son. I felt obliged to protect you, to try and right my wrongs, and it stung."

Harry had stopped eating, his hunger forgotten as he listened to the brutal honesty of the words. His voice seemed unnaturally small in the spacious kitchen as he asked, "Then what changed?"

"You grew up. I opened my eyes. I do not know what changed exactly, just that it did change. Slowly, I found that I could not see her in your eyes the way I once had. I was confronted with the fact you were a person in your own right."

Twirling pasta around his fork, more for something to do than to eat, Harry looked up and fixed Severus in an even stare, needing to know the answer to this one question even more than those that had proceeded, and those that were sure to succeed, it. "Did you love her?"

"As I know the word now? No. Experience has taught me that Lily was not my type. But I am sure you can comprehend the teenage angst that convinces you every emotion has only ever been felt this strongly by you alone?"

Harry chuckled, and finally put his fork in his mouth, chewing quickly and speaking around the mouthful. "Oh, yeah, I can _comprehend_ that perfectly."

"However, the guilt was no less tangible when all other teenage whims had faded. And then of course, your saving my life for reasons and through means that I cannot comprehend affected my view of you, though not until many years after it had happened."

Wondering how he'd gotten so good at reading Severus' words in the space of a few short weeks, Harry rolled his shoulder. "That platform, it wasn't right. You weren't supposed to be there, Voldemort had made a stupid mistake because he didn't stop to _think_ about the events that night, and add together that you hadn't disarmed Dumbledore. I mean, he must have known… the other Death Eaters there would have told him, and I doubt Malfoy was in any state to lie about it. You were killed for the wrong reasons, so I just… sort of… brought you back with me."

"Are you implying, Mr. Potter, there are some _right_ reasons I could be killed for?"

"Then, I'd have listed off dozens. Now, not so many."

Laughing at the impertinence that would once have grated so violently on his nerves, Severus took a sip of his juice and cleared his throat with a cough. "Evidently you have gone soft in your old age, Mr. Potter."

Harry laughed and seamlessly the conversation moved on to lighter topics.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Grumbling to himself, Harry emerged from the vines and stopped short when he found Severus sat on the porch. "Hey, how long have you been here?"

Severus' gaze rapidly took in the tan skin glistening with sweat, Harry's shirt tied around his face, and smears of mud on his body. "Mere minutes. I was just debating coming to find you, or breaking in."

Harry nodded, Summoning over the towel he'd dropped on the porch as he left the house that morning and wiping his chest down carelessly. "I need to wash up, then I'll make some lunch. You want to come inside?"

Severus nodded, waiting to allow Harry to enter the house first, because it was _his_ house and definitely not because Severus wanted to admire Harry from behind. And the lingering gaze on the tail dangling down… well, Severus decided that was just perverse.

Harry left Severus in the library and headed to the bathroom, moving to the shower in the corner as he stripped quickly. Glancing down at his semi-hard prick, he wondered if the sensation of eyes burning holes in his back had been all in his mind. Though he had the water on cold, Harry's cock was still swelling, and he threw up a careless Silencing charm before he took care of himself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry knocked together a simple salad and they ate on the porch, Severus listening to Harry bitch about the warm weather and his vines. As Harry's speech got animated his hands would gesture, and Severus noticed that the brunette's tail would also swish and flick, as though to emphasise his points. Seeing the strong muscle getting dangerously close to the brunette's cup of coffee, Severus reached forwards and wrapped his fingers around Harry's tail, making the brunette gasp and look up at him. "I… didn’t want you to knock your coffee over and burn yourself."

For a brief second it was like every nerve ending was on fire, and Harry just gaped at Severus. But as rapidly as the temporary insanity had started it was over again, and Harry closed his mouth, nodding softly and swallowing around the lump in his throat. As he flicked his tail away, he could have sworn Severus' fingers tightened, stroking the slender muscle firmly. "Th~thanks. Anyway, I… I…"

"You were saying about the soil?"

Finding his train of thought again, Harry continued speaking, keeping his attention squarely _off_ the heated feeling in his tail…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Somehow, the plan to spend the afternoon researching Harry's condition was overruled, and instead they spent the afternoon drinking in the sunlight. It was only when Harry's stomach rumbled that Severus noticed it was early evening, and he laughed in a most undignified manner, a symptom of the alcohol consumed over the past five hours.

Following Harry into the kitchen, Severus moved forwards when the brunette reached for the cutlery drawer. "Oh, no, brat. You're far too drunk to cook."

It was shameful, but Harry giggled and turned around, to fix Severus in a mock-stern gaze. "This is my house, Professor Snape, and I'll do as I please. And I please to cook you dinner!"

Severus chuckled darkly, leaning forward and taking the spatula from Harry's hands. "Those words make no sense in that order, Mr. Potter."

Harry nodded, too engrossed in the proximity and scent of the other man to really worry about his bad grammar. He'd never noticed quite how nice Severus smelt – musky, and spicy, and alluring. Ignoring the voice in the back of his mind that was yelling at him that this was a _bad idea_ , Harry leant forwards and upwards, pressing his lips against Severus' softly. 

Time seemed to slow down around him as their lips moved in minute increments against each other's. Harry was pressed back against the counter, and he could feel Severus' arms on either side of him, knew the older man was leant on the side. They pulled apart gently, and Harry opened his eyes. He wasn't expecting to see sadness in onyx eyes, and he'd never have expected it to hurt that much. 

Pushing Severus' arm, Harry crossed the kitchen, putting distance between them as he babbled thoughtlessly, "I'm sorry, I thought… when you said she wasn't your type I thought you meant… and then we had fun… I'm sorry, and I…"

Severus didn’t know what to do. Telling Harry to be quiet would be ordering him, and that was exactly what Severus was trying to avoid. So he crossed the kitchen and rested his hand on Harry's shoulder, waiting until the brunette looked up at him, green eyes wide and guarded. "I merely wonder how much of this you will regret in the morning, when the alcohol is properly metabolised?"

Perhaps the alcohol _was_ making him bolder, but Harry didn't care. Shaking his head, he stepped forward, moving back into the warm, comfortable airspace of another human being, of _Severus_.

There were a thousand reasons why he should resist, why he should step back and try to regain some sanity. And Severus ignored every single one as he lowered his head and pressed their lips together again. 

 

 

**Author's Note** \- There will be no update on Wednesday, as I'm out of town. Chapter eight will go up next Sunday. *S*S* x


	8. Chapter Eight - An Offer

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2100  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

Harry rolled over and buried his face in the pillows, inhaling the scent of spice and musk and smiling softly. Hugging the soft material to his body, he let his mind float up to proper wakefulness before he even thought about speaking to Severus. 

Severus.

Making a noise like a startled cat, Harry's rational mind battled through the haze of a hangover, and he sat bolt upright in the bed. He remembered kissing Severus – twice – but then things got a little fuzzy. And his bed smelt of the older man. 

Almost in fear, Harry cast a look over his shoulder. Severus was not on the other side of the bed, and Harry focused his awareness, sending his magic out in little waves to pick up on the existence of another person. However, the lingering effects of the alcohol – damn, but he'd drank too much if he was still feeling it's effects with _his_ metabolism – meant he couldn't get further than the room he was in before losing focus. 

Standing unsteadily, Harry paid no heed to his naked state, and began to slowly walk about his house. He found no trace of Severus, and his heart plummeted at the assumption that Severus had left without waking him. Harry staggered into the kitchen and moved over to the coffee pot. Filling the jug with water, he poured it clumsily into the coffee maker and shook some coffee into the filter, not bothering to measure it out – today was going to be a day where no amount of coffee would be too much. 

Moving to put the jug on the hot plate, Harry finally saw the sheet of paper leant against the coffee maker, his name written on it in neat script. Picking the paper up, Harry pushed the jug into place and hit the 'on' button, leaving the coffee to cook as he sat down at the kitchen table and unfolded the paper.

 

_Harry,_

_I assumed that next to a source of caffeine would be the best place to leave a note, to_  
ensure that you found it. I had a pleasant time yesterday evening, though the evening   
was perhaps more surprising than is good for a man of my years. 

_It seemed improper to stay in your home, so after staying with you to ensure you_  
were asleep in a position that would not be conducive to drowning in your own vomit,   
I left. I erected basic wards around the property; I assumed you'd have latent ones in   
place as well. 

_I hope this morning finds you, if not in fine spirits, then at least with some level of_  
mental capabilities. I have some errands to run, but I will be stopping for coffee   
around four, if you wish to join me. 

_Sincerely,_

_~Severus._

 

Harry read the letter through twice more, needing the extra reading to fully understand what was being said – damn Severus and his long words; he must have realised Harry would be in no fit state for anything but monosyllables. However, if Harry was reading it right, then Severus wanted to meet him for coffee at four. Assuming that the unspoken destination was the little coffee shop they had frequented before, Harry set the note to one side and stood back up, tail swishing behind him as he crossed over to the coffee pot and Summoned a cup. 

Filling it to the brim, Harry inhaled deeply before blowing across the surface and taking a sip. It was hot and absolutely delicious, fortifying him and beginning to, if not cure the hangover, box it into a corner where it could die quietly. 

Once he'd finished the first cup, Harry poured a second and ambled slowly back to his bedroom. He had a good six hours before he needed to leave and meet with Severus, and Harry wasn't entirely sure what he was going to do with his time. Knowing he should do something productive, Harry couldn’t fight the lure of a long, hot bath. 

Putting in his favourite bath oil, Harry set his coffee within easy reach and put a shielding charm around it in case he splashed water in its general vicinity – he'd learnt through experience that bathwater and coffee were not happy bed mates. Sinking into the warm water, Harry sighed happily and stretched out, content just to bask and feel the bath oils cleaning him gently. 

With his eyes closed, Harry thought back to the night before, his cheeks heating as he remembered his boldness in kissing the older man. However, it had paid dividends when Harry was kissed back, and he murmured in the back of his throat as he remembered the kiss. Severus' lips, firm and insistent as they moved with his, his long fingers lacing through Harry's hair to hold his head in place. With a shudder, Harry remembered the feeling of a warm tongue dragging over the seam of his lips, again and again, the pressure mounting with each caress until Harry's mouth was forced to yield, letting Severus' tongue delve inside and begin sweeping over teeth and gums, drawing Harry's own tongue into an intricate dance. 

Harry _thought_ that at that point he'd been backed against the wall, but he couldn’t be sure. He remembered reaching up and running his own hands through Severus' hair, soft and smooth now it was free of the fumes of numerous potions. Harry had stroked and pulled, twisting the inky locks through his fingers as he kissed Severus, finally getting daring enough to push his own tongue into the other man's mouth. 

Severus tasted like he smelt – spicy and musky and alluring, a heady mix that appealed to every sense Harry had. Sinking lower in the water, Harry's hands had slid down his body to his thighs before he really registered what he was doing. Blushing and looking guiltily around the bathroom, Harry wondered if he really could wank off to thoughts of Severus. 

Deciding that what Severus didn’t know couldn't hurt him, and that it was better to wank now than go to their meeting with a semi, Harry flicked on the radio and resumed his earlier activities.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weight of his full money bag hung pleasantly against his thigh, and Severus resolved to be early to the coffee shop, acutely aware that Harry had paid every other time they had been there. He ordered two coffees, aware that the man behind the counter was glaring at him. Severus smirked and resolved to _really_ give the man something to be angry about, as he paid for the coffees and the large slice of pumpkin pie.

Sitting at their usual table outside, Severus felt no shame in watching appreciatively as Harry crossed the plaza towards him. The younger man wore loose white trousers and a tight white tee shirt, and Severus could just see the flicker of a glamour, as he knew where to look and was staring intently. 

Harry clocked Severus watching him and shivered slightly. But the closer he got to the older man, the more worried he got. What if Severus had changed his mind? By the time Harry had sat down his good mood had vanished, and he was mentally strengthening himself for the rejection. 

Seeing the guarded look in Harry's eyes, Severus leant forwards, taking Harry's chin in his fingers and holding his head steady as Severus pressed their lips together in a brief kiss. He pulled back, smirking at the sound of dropped crockery from inside the shop, and gestured to the pie. "I assumed you'd be hungry?"

Harry nodded, taking up the fork and beginning to eat, using the time to quell the blush in his cheeks. When he looked up, the smirk on Severus' face told him the older man had not missed the blush, but the softness in onyx eyes told him he wouldn't be teased either. Taking a sip of coffee, he asked, "Did you get your errands run?"

"Yes. The bank in Madrid is very efficient, and I now have enough money to pay my board and keep my hostess happy."

"Your board?"

Severus nodded, and sipped at his coffee, watching Harry over the rim of the cup before he answered, "Yes, for my room. I haven't been sleeping in the streets, Harry!"

"But… that must cost a fortune!"

"It's worth it."

Harry would have no blood left anywhere but his cheeks and his cock if he wasn't careful, and he smiled at the soft words as he polished off his pie. "You could stay with me?"

"A little fast, don't you think?"

The blush was this time because of the look on Severus' face, a wanting kind of leer that made Harry squirm in his seat, and he was glad of the fun in the bath that morning, it meant there was only a raging semi in his trousers, not a full blown hard on. "I didn’t mean like that. The house is big… and with you helping me out, it seems to make more sense. I mean, if you don't want to, then…"

Finishing off his coffee, Severus nodded softly. "It may make more sense. I will, of course, pay room and board…"

"You don't have to…"

"I want to. I'll contribute to the bills at least."

"If you're sure?"

Severus nodded, and Harry mirrored him, draining the last of his coffee and standing up. "Come on, I can help you pack."

"No need. I'll go and settle my debt with the guesthouse, and then come to your home, if that's okay."

Harry nodded and Severus stood up, checking he had his money bag and wand before he leant down, brushing a soft kiss over Harry's forehead before he turned and left. 

It'd been years since Severus had felt the longing gaze of another person on his back as he walked away…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The doorbell sounded through the house, and Harry scrambled up from the chair he'd been curled in, catching himself in the hallway so that he didn’t open the front door in a rush, looking every inch the gasping, giggling school boy that he inexplicably felt. Another deep breath, and Harry opened the door slowly, smiling at Severus and stepping back to allow the older man inside. "Only the one bag?"

"I travel light."

Harry smiled, clicking the door shut and holding his hand out for the bag. Severus allowed him to take it, and Harry turned and walked down the hallway, hearing Severus following him as he led the way to the guest quarters. Stepping inside, Harry set the bag by the foot of the bed and turned to face Severus. "These will be your rooms – the door on the right leads to the bathroom, and the door on the left to a small study area."

"We do not share a bathroom?"

"Not yet."

Chuckling, Severus stepped forward, crowding in on Harry's personal space and forcing the smaller man to tip his head up to maintain eye contact. "I'll hold you to that, Mr. Potter."

Harry smiled, waggling his eyebrows suggestively and earning a short burst of laughter from Severus. "Less of that, Imp. Go make yourself useful while I unpack."

Harry had barely reached the door when Severus realised what he'd done and chased after the younger man, grabbing his shoulder and shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Harry, I…"

"Why?"

Temporarily stunned by the question, Severus' mouth opened and closed a few times before he managed to speak properly. "I apologise, I didn’t think about my words. Ordering you to…"

Harry laughed and reached his hands up, squeezing Severus' fingers briefly before pulling the older man's hands off his shoulders. "It's all right. You don't have to watch every little thing you say to me."

"But I…"

"Severus, please! Remember all the school rules I broke – you _know_ I have a Slytherin side. And things like telling me to go be useful… they're slips of the tongue, so I can manipulate them. The dinner needs making, and that's a useful thing to do. So that's what I'm going to do."

Severus sighed, and shook his head. "I didn’t think."

"It's all right, really. People say things all the time, without even realising it, that I have to take as orders. I've gotten very good at bending the rules. I'm going to put some dinner on, you unpack."

Nodding, Severus returned the small smile Harry gave him before the younger man ambled down the hallway and took a left into the kitchen, leaving Severus with his thoughts and his few belongings to unpack.


	9. Chapter Nine - Tipping Point

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2500  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

The wonderful ChiakiDark has drawn a [second piece of fanart](http://chiakidark.insanejournal.com/7216.html) for this story, please tell her how beautiful it is *swoons*

 

 

 

As life was wont to do, it carried on between Severus and Harry as they found an easy rhythm to live to. Their relationship progressed at a steady pace, each day ending with a kiss shared in the hallway before retiring to their own rooms. Between keeping the vineyard, the general upkeep of the house, and more pleasurable activities such as visiting galleries and going to the movie theatre in Madrid, life with Harry was not the slew of dusty textbooks that Severus had assumed it would be when he agreed to help the Sottomesso. 

On a rare evening in, Harry and Severus were sat on the sofa – well, Harry was lay with his head resting on Severus' thigh and his tail flicking idly against his own shoulder – in companionable silence. If it weren't for the constant flicking of his tail, Severus would have thought Harry were asleep. He himself was lost in a weighty tome on reversing Creature Heritages, but the pictures and testimonies of attempts witnessed were not filling Severus with hope. 

Putting the book to one side, Severus moved the hand that had been stroking through Harry's hair to his shoulder, curling his fingers and stroking softly with the fur. He smiled at the mumbling little mewl of pleasure that emanated from his lap and brought his other hand around to resume stroking Harry's hair. The younger man tolerated it for a few minutes more before chuckling, "I'm not a cat, you know?" 

"Yet you so enjoy being petted."

Laughing, Harry straightened up and wriggled into Severus' lap, running his hands over sallow cheeks before lacing his fingers through Severus’ hair and pulling himself in for a kiss. Severus' hands moved to cup his arse, thumbs massaging the sensitive skin where his tail protruded from, and Harry didn’t know whether to push back into the sensation, or forward into the friction that would be offered by Severus' stomach. 

He settled for pushing forward; it brought him closer to Severus' lips anyway. The kiss seemed to last forever, and Harry marvelled that a man so sharp could feel so soft beneath his lips. Severus' fingers were tantalisingly close to his cleft, and Harry wondered if tonight would be the night that the older man would break the kiss with a request for Harry to join him in his bed. Because, as he'd done the kissing first, Harry thought it was probably proper to let Severus make the next first move. 

But he knew from the soft sigh when they parted that Severus would not ask. Ducking his head, Harry littered butterfly kisses along Severus' jaw before pulling back and clambering carefully off Severus' knee. "I'm going to go to bed. Goodnight, Severus."

"Goodnight, Harry."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They parted, as always, with a kiss in the hallway, and Severus waited until Harry had closed his bedroom door behind him, a coy smile playing at the Sottomesso's lips, before he headed to his own quarters. Though Severus carried out his nightly routine as normal, by the time he was comfortable within cool sheets his cock was fully erect and demanding attention.

Casting a Silencing charm, Severus fumbled his light cotton sleep pants over his hips, kicking the material carelessly away under the single sheet that provided all the warmth he needed in the humid Spanish night. One hand rested on the slight hollow by his jutting hipbone, and the other wrapped around his needy cock. 

Pushing his head back against the pillows, Severus didn’t even attempt to fool himself he wasn't thinking about Harry. He was _always_ thinking about Harry. Thinking about his hair, and his lips, and his hands, and his eyes. Thinking about his sensitive tail and wondering if Harry had ever tested out its uses beyond increased balance and hanging from the rafters. Severus was almost certain that thinking about the young man and his tail in this manner broke some laws… or, at the very least, some unspoken decency etiquette. 

Moving his free hand from his hip to his sac, Severus rolled and cupped his balls in the palm of his hand, mind lost on a sea of images of Harry, each one more debauched than the last. Perhaps it was his Creature status, although Severus was sure part of it was natural inclination, but the young brunette screamed to be dominated. It was on that train of thought that Severus was lost, coming to pictures of Harry open for him, Harry bound for him, Harry submitting for him, Harry, Harry, Harry, until the bright light behind his eyelids got too much and Severus couldn't think anymore, only breath deeply and try to recapture his scattered composure. 

Casting a careless cleaning charm, Severus rolled onto his side and swiftly fell asleep, blissfully unaware that his housemate was still awake, tail tickling his prostate as he mouthed one name over and over into the pillow…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Staggering blearily down the hall, Harry knocked on the door and waited until Severus made a drowsy sound of invitation. Pushing the door open, Harry smirked as he caught Severus getting out of bed, the older man standing up and pulling his pyjama bottoms up in a move that gave Harry a dazzling glance of a pale, firm arse.

Flicking his eyes to the floor as Severus yawned and walked around the bed; Harry held out one of the mugs of coffee and leant casually in the doorway, tail flicking idly behind him as he ran his free hand through his sleep-mussed hair. "I need to go into the market – we have no food in the house."

"I shopped at the weekend."

"I ate that."

Severus laughed, setting his coffee on the side and crossing to his wardrobe to find clothes for the day. "If you're prepared to wait while I shower, I shall join you."

"Fine with me. I'm going to go get dressed, unless you need anything?"

Smirking softly, Severus raised an eyebrow at Harry, "I am capable of bathing myself, Mr. Potter."

A cheeky grin, and Harry spoke over his shoulder as he turned to leave, "I didn't say you weren't _capable_."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They left the house a little after ten, and Harry had a bottle of wine with him, to allow the publican to try it before he committed to buying this new batch. Reaching the fork in the main road, Harry stopped and brought a hand up to his eyes, squinting against the sun to be able to see Severus clearly. "I'm going to run this to the pub. I'll catch you up at the cheese stall in five minutes?"

"That sounds fine."

Harry nodded, and turned to leave. He was surprised when long fingers closed around his wrist, and he was pulled back to a softly smiling Severus. "Do I not get a goodbye kiss?"

"I'll be gone five minutes!" Harry laughed good naturedly, but he leant in and pressed his lips against Severus' cheek, a sweet goodbye kiss coupled with a cheery wave as he turned to drop the bottle at the pub. Once it was there, he doubled back the way he came, turning into the side street that led from the pub to the main street, almost running into the server from the coffee shop. "Oh! Perdón, señor…"

"Por favor, llámeme Santos."

Ducking his head in recognition, Harry shot an apologetic smile at the man. "Bueno, perdona, Santos."

"Nos es ningún problema, señor…"

"Harry, por favor."

"Harry."

The look on the other man's face was a degree short of a leer, and Harry shifted uncomfortably for a moment before plastering a false smile on his face. "Bueno, si me perdonas."

But, as he moved to step around him, Santos moved with Harry, his hand coming up to rest too high and too tight on Harry's forearm to be anything other than over-familiar. It also drove home how much taller and wider than Harry the man was, especially when he was so close and speaking in such a commanding tone of voice. "Esperaba volver a verte otra vez."

"¡Pero si siempre voy a tu cafetería!" 

"Aaah, pero esto es diferente. Sin el uniforme, ninguna norma me impide pedirte una cita."

Harry was so stunned, he slipped into English, taking a step back and attempting to subtly wrench his arm free of the grip. "That's… that's awfully sweet of you, but I'm seeing someone."

Scowling, Santos spoke in accented, fragmented English. "The old man, from before?"

Bristling at the tone of disdain, Harry folded his arms across his chest and nodded. "He has a few years on me, yes. But that is none of your business."

Santos stepped forward, both hands on Harry's upper arms, making Harry painfully aware of their uneven height and weight balance. "But it is. He is no good for you."

Scoffing, Harry shrugged free of the grip again, making a glaring, flashing mental note to _never_ go to that coffee shop again. "Oh, really? And I suppose you are?"

"Yes! Kiss me, and you will see!"

Harry felt the pull inside him, the Creature desperate to obey the order. Despite himself, he stepped forward, and that seemed to encourage Santos, for the other man wrapped his arms around Harry. Bringing his hands up, trying to flatten them against Santos' chest to push him away, Harry fought with the urge to obey. But Santos had him backed against the wall, and Harry had never been very good at denying his Creature side, especially as out of practice with it as he was. And it was much, much harder to do in such close proximity to the man who had given the order.

"What is the meaning of this, Sir?"

Harry had never been as happy to hear Severus' cold, hard voice as he was right then. Yet, though Santos had jumped back and was looking warily at Severus, Harry could still hear the un-obeyed order flitting through his mind.

Severus took in Harry's stance and held his hand out in front of him. "Come here, Harry."

The previous order fading into insignificance, Harry darted forward to stand by Severus, studiously not looking at Santos.

"We were talking…"

"Talking does not require a vice-grip on someone's arms as you press them against a wall. Good day."

Knowing innately that this was a fight he would not win, Santos sneered and turned around, leaving the side street and disappearing from view. Severus waited a few moments before turning to Harry. "We're going home."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They walked home in silence, and once the door was closed behind them, Harry turned around, his eyes wide and appealing. "Severus, I'm so sorry, I…"

"Harry, will you please be quiet?"

Clicking his mouth shut, Harry fought the urge to cry. He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd disobeyed Severus somehow, and it was tearing at his Creature side like a vulture at a carcass, harsh and unforgiving. 

Seeing the inner turmoil, Severus leant forwards and ran his fingers down Harry's cheek. "I could see, from the set of every muscle in your body, how hard you were fighting to disobey him. I am not angry at you. I am angry at him for being so disgracefully sure of his own allure, and for unknowingly causing you to conflict with your Creature side. But not at you. Do you understand that?"

Harry nodded softly, nuzzling his cheek into Severus' hand. "I… I need to end this. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t come along? I can't just… people are rude! They're rude, and they demand things, and everyone else can just ignore that, but I can't. I can't live like this!"

Resting his thumb over Harry's lips, Severus shook his head softly. "We'll find an answer. Do not worry about it, we _will_ find a way."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that evening, they were sat together on the small bench on the porch, watching as the sun set behind the vines. Harry was nestled into Severus' side, and Severus was stroking his fingers up and down Harry's exposed arm. The younger man had let his book fall closed some time ago, but Severus was still reading through his own tome, scanning the pages for a charm or a loophole.

When the light got too low to read, Severus set the book on the arm rest and sighed softly, staring out over the shadowy vineyard and letting his eyes slide closed. "May I ask you, Harry, how you coped with previous lovers? I was under the assumption you had told no one of your Heritage, but I can't see how that would be feasible in a relationship."

Harry shrugged, fingers playing with the shiny ivory-coloured buttons on Severus' shirt. "I didn’t have any to cope with."

"You have been single since you left Miss Weasley?"

Harry nodded, and though he couldn't see how that could be a bad thing, he could feel the slight tensing of Severus' muscles. "What is it? What have I done wrong?"

Shaking his head free of his thoughts, Severus relaxed and squeezed Harry a little tighter. "You have done nothing wrong. I was simply wondering."

"Wondering?"

Knowing that for all his submissive nature, Harry could be wily and manipulative when he needed to be, Severus knew it was pointless trying to lie or hide the truth from the Sottomesso. "I was curious as to how you deduced that a relationship with a man would better suit you."

Momentarily stumped, Harry considered something he'd never really given much thought to. "I don't know… I guess you were there and…" 

"I was there? What, conveniently?"

Drawing up, Harry turned to face Severus and shot him a warning look. "It took a lot for me to trust you and let you into my life, so don't twist my words away from me and act like the little victim that I'm just settling for."

Holding up his hands, Severus tipped his head in apology and waited for Harry to continue. 

"I guess… my whole life, I've never exactly drowned in affection. I learnt pretty quick to take it wherever it came from, no matter the age, sex or race of the person offering it. I didn’t think about it, I just went with what I felt."

Severus nodded, reaching out to push a lock of hair out of Harry's eyes. "No one person will ever be able to give you the affection you deserve."

Daring, Harry flicked his gaze up, quickly meeting Severus' eyes before he looked back down, speaking to his thigh as he muttered, "Perhaps one person is all I want."

Surprised by the closest thing to a declaration of feelings that either of them had given in the two months they'd been interacting, Severus didn’t move in time to stop Harry getting up and stretching slowly. 

"I need to sleep. Goodnight, Severus."

"Goodnight, Harry."

While Harry returned inside, Severus remained on the bench, staring out at the night sky and running their words over in his mind. Coupled with the flare of jealousy he'd felt at seeing Harry held by another man, Severus wondered if perhaps his feelings for the brunette didn’t run much deeper than he'd initially thought.


	10. Chapter Ten - Touch

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2500  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

Severus woke up early, and the house was quiet around him. Dressing in simple trousers and a white shirt, he headed into the kitchen and set the coffee to brew. Glancing over the headlines, Severus mused on starting breakfast, but decided to wait until he knew what Harry wanted before preparing food. Pouring the coffee into two mugs, Severus left his own standing on the side as he headed to Harry's room. 

Knocking softly, Severus walked in and set the coffee on the bedside table. The bathroom door was half-open, so Severus crossed the room to stick his head in and inform Harry of the presence of caffeine – he knew it'd earn him a smile. Pushing the door open fully, Severus was stunned into silence, the greeting and notification of his presence dying on his lips as he looked at Harry. The younger man was sat on the bench that ran around the edge of the bath, submerged in water to his waist and his head tipped back. Harry's penchant for bath oils meant Severus had an unobstructed view of the brunette's lower body, of his erect cock and curled fingers. 

Severus just stared, and it was only when, a few moments later, Harry brought his head up and caught sight of Severus that the older man realised he was acting inappropriately. And yet, when Harry's hand slid guiltily away from his prick, Severus couldn't blush, couldn't apologise and leave. And when he opened his mouth, it wasn't an explanation that came out, but a throaty growl. "Touch yourself."

The thought of fighting the order didn’t even cross his mind. In fact, in his haste to wrap his fingers back around his cock, Harry didn't really register that he was being ordered. It was more a sense of being granted permission, and he bit his lip as he swiped his thumb over his slit. 

It took a few seconds before Severus' rational mind caught up with the rest of him, and pointed out that he was ordering Harry to do this, betraying the Sottomesso's trust. But if he'd learnt anything in living with the young man, it was that Harry was very good at interpreting orders to his will – even stroking his fingers over his elbow would have satisfied Severus' command. Wondering if he dared to push this further, Severus' decision was made for him when Harry's eyes slid closed and his head lolled back, revealing the smooth underside of his chin just begging to be licked.

"More…"

"More, Harry?"

"Yeah… please, more…"

Not one to deny the beauty in front of him, Severus leant back against the doorframe, his eyes fixed firmly on Harry. "Pinch your nipples as well."

The hand that had been resting against his thigh trailed up through the water, drawing patterns in the droplets adorning Harry's chest before thumb and forefinger pinched around Harry's taught, pink nipples. Severus' mouth went dry as Harry shifted the motion between his nipples, paying each pebbled mound equal attention. A flash of a fantasy, Harry's tail being factored in the play, streaked across Severus' mind, and he swallowed hard before speaking again, his voice the low, gravely tone that he hadn’t had cause to use in years and years. "Fuck yourself." 

Whimpering, Harry barely remembered to mutter a lubrication charm before he was probing at his arse gently, taunting the tight muscle before worming his tail into his body. Harry groaned, body reacting to the stimulation and to the heat of Severus' gaze on him. The knowledge that Severus was watching him was addictive, like a drug, and Harry wished the water were gone so that it wasn't obscuring the other man's view. His pleasure seemed to rush up on him, hastened by Severus' catching breaths and appreciative mumbles, and too soon for his liking Harry was staining the water and flopping limply against the side of the bath. 

Severus leant against the doorway, blood raging through his body as he watched Harry's tail slide from his arse, the picture beautiful, if distorted by the water. Severus needed to see that again, clearly, and repeatedly. He'd assumed it would be an off-chance, that Harry would use fingers or even a concealed toy. That he hadn't, that the Sottomesso was evidently very fond of his tail, was just too perfect for words. 

When he was a little more composed, Harry pushed himself up and out of the water. He'd decided that this constituted a first move, and even so recently spent, his cock was twitching at the thought of Severus inside of him. He walked carefully around the bath, crossing to where Severus was stood and using both hands to push his wet hair off his face. Looking up, Harry smiled softly. "I want you."

Severus smirked, resisting the urge to pin Harry against the wall and have his way, wanting this to be something more than a quick fuck. "Pushy little thing. What happened to following orders?"

Harry reached up and wrapped his arms around Severus' neck, stood on tip toes to bring his mouth level with Severus' ear. "I'm hot, and slick, and open. You can slide into me and fuck me through the mattress, headboard denting the wall. Order me onto the bed, please, and see how well I follow it."

Severus pulled Harry's arms from around his neck and stepped back, undoing the buttons of his shirt slowly and deliberately. Harry held his eyes for a few seconds before whimpering in the back of his throat and looking down. Severus kept his pace slow and steady, undoing the fly on his trousers when he reached them. Slowly, he brought his hands up and pushed the material off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor and watching as Harry swayed towards him slightly.

"Please…"

"Please what?"

"Want to touch."

Severus nodded his permission, watching as Harry's hand came up, fingers outstretched as they moved slowly towards his chest. Biting back a moan when Harry's fingertips finally made contact with his skin, Severus hummed in delight as Harry dragged his fingers down Severus' chest in a soft touch, stopping at the waistband of Severus' trousers.

Harry paused, looking up and trying to beg for permission to go lower, but he couldn't think in words, let alone form them. But Severus knew, and Harry keened quietly when Severus nodded at him. Twisting his hand around, he pressed his palm flat against Severus' skin and wormed his hand into the older man's trousers. Harry made a small noise of delight when he found that Severus didn't wear boxer shorts, and his fingertips travelled over wiry hair before bumping into firm, heated flesh. 

Biting his lip, part in concentration, part from nerves, Harry stroked slowly along the shaft, stepping closer to Severus to give his hand more room to move in the confines of Severus' trousers. Curling his fingers, Harry stroked carefully up and down, bringing his other hand into play and holding Severus' trousers aside, freeing the other man's cock and staring at it in quiet amazement. His own cock was rapidly stiffening, and Harry's arse clenched and flexed at the thought of being stretched around Severus.

Running his hands up Harry's arms, Severus cupped his cheeks and tipped Harry's head up. Seeing nothing but desire in Harry's eyes, Severus dipped his head and pressed his lips firmly over Harry's. The kiss was different to those they'd shared before – they'd had heated kisses, but none with such a clear sense of leading to _more_. Severus ran his hands down Harry's sides to cup his arse, squeezing and massaging the firm globes as his fingers skittered ever closer to the hot cleft, dipping in and finding Harry's entrance slick and loose.

Breaking the kiss, Severus moved his hands to Harry's jutting hipbones and pushed the younger man away from him, "Bed, now." He didn’t care that his words were an order, and from the set of the brunette's body and the gleam in emerald eyes, neither did Harry. In fact, Severus had never seen anyone move so quickly, or throw themselves onto the bed with such eagerness. 

Following Harry to the bed, Severus moved to push his trousers off his wiry frame and to the floor, pausing as his mind caught up with what Harry was doing. The younger man was lay on his back, his legs open invitingly and his tail swiping teasingly over his cleft. Severus growled, shucking his trousers and fixing Harry in a stern glare. "Did I say you could play with your tail?"

Harry smiled mischievously, his tail still flicking over his entrance, "You didn't say I _couldn't_."

"Brat. Move that tail immediately, unless you'd rather it than my cock?"

Harry's tail snapped out to the side and Severus smirked as he climbed onto the bed, kneeling between Harry's spread legs and thrusting two fingers into him. Harry keened and Severus toyed with his swollen prostate briefly before withdrawing his fingers and smearing the captured lubricant over his aching prick.

"Severus! Fucking tease!"

Moving one hand behind Harry's knee, pushing his leg up and bending it against his chest, Severus used his spare hand to guide the head of his cock into Harry's arse, moving his hand to the mattress by Harry's head and slamming in hard and fast. It made the man under him keen and yell out and Severus smirked as Harry writhed underneath him. "Manners, Mr. Potter."

"M'sorry."

Severus smiled and leant down to kiss Harry, tongue swiping the seal of Harry's lips, demanding entrance which was quickly granted. As Severus' tongue swept over Harry's gums, he moved his hips in fast, deep strokes. Pulling away, needing to breathe, Severus rose up a little and leveraged himself on Harry's bent leg and the mattress, picking up the pace of his hips and pistoning in and out of Harry's hot sheath. 

He watched as Harry brought one hand up from clenching in the bed sheets and wrapped it around his prick, tugging relentlessly as Severus kept up his fast, furious rhythm, grunting when Harry tensed and rippled around him, cock spurting thin ropes of white over the Gryffindor's trembling stomach. Severus carried on rutting until his own orgasm overtook him, leaving him breathless and light-headed from pleasure as he collapsed ungracefully to the side of Harry. 

Harry's body was tingling with sensation, and when Severus' fingers stroked teasingly over his flaccid cock, he flung an arm over his eyes and shied away from the touch. "Too much."

Smiling softly, Severus withdrew his hand and rolled onto his side, pulling Harry into his arms and drifting off for a well earned nap as Harry curled tighter against his body.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Severus woke up the mid-morning sun was streaming in through the window, warming his bare skin. He smiled indulgently and stretched out, enjoying the space that came from being in the centre of a double bed. Except... "Harry?"

There was no answer, and Severus stood up slowly, pulling his trousers back on and Summoning his shirt. He pulled the light clothing on as he left Harry's bedroom, doing up the buttons as he padded down the hall and turned into the kitchen. Harry was wearing his sleep pants, sat at the kitchen table eating currant buns and reading the paper. Severus opened his mouth to speak, but the blinding smile Harry gave him when he raised his head from the papers stunned Severus speechless.

"Hey. I couldn't sleep, and I didn't want to wake you. I made coffee."

Severus nodded, pouring a cup and sitting at the table next to Harry. He sipped at the strong liquid, enjoying the companionable silence between them. Severus could feel Harry looking at him, and he looked up from his cup and smiled softly at Harry. That seemed to encourage the brunette, and Severus set the cup down as Harry stood from his chair and moved to straddle Severus' lap. "Comfortable?"

Harry laughed and rested his hands lightly on Severus' shoulders. "Very. You?"

"Never more so."

Smiling again, Harry ducked his head and glanced his lips over Severus', a teasing kiss that satisfied him in a different, but equally wonderful way to their earlier activities. "Severus… this morning, was it… are you…"

Reaching his hand up, Severus swept his thumb gently over Harry's cheek, and sighed softly. "It was blissful."

"Good."

"And you, Harry? Or did you feel that I crossed a line, ordering you as I did, treating you as roughly as I did?" 

Shaking his head vehemently, Harry forgot his own insecurities in his rush to assuage Severus'. "No! I… it… I liked it."

Raising an eyebrow and making Harry blush, Severus locked his arms around Harry's waist and smirked playfully at his new lover. "You liked it, Harry?"

Still blushing, Harry pushed Severus' shoulder softly in chastisement at being teased, but nodded all the same. "Yeah, I did. It felt… not like an order, but it was. I don't know… I didn’t mind following them. It's confusing. I'm confused."

Shaking his head, Severus lifted Harry off his lap and sat him on the table. "Well, we can't have that. Go dress, and we'll Apparate to Madrid and watch a nice simple movie to soothe your addled brain."

"It's your fault it's addled!"

Severus smirked at the compliment, watching as Harry ambled out of the kitchen, and turning back to his coffee with a soft smile gracing his features.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They got back to the house a little after midnight, having stopped at a bar in Madrid for drinks. As he set the wards, Harry stifled a yawn on his arm, turning to Severus and smiling apologetically. "I'm sorry, I'm suddenly so tired."

"The bout of sex this morning and the despicable teenage fumbling in the movie theatre this evening may be contributing to that."

Harry laughed and moved in for a hug from Severus. "I didn’t hear you complaining either time. Besides, the movie was dull and I was bored – I had to amuse myself somehow."

Severus tried to sneer, but the laughter in his voice gave him away as he responded, "And your amusement is ejaculating in your pants like a teenager?"

"Well, that wasn't as amusing as your evident distaste at having done the same!"

Severus snickered, swatting Harry's arse playfully and leading the brunette down the corridor. "Brat. Get to bed and give me some peace."

Harry pouted, stopping by the door to his bedroom and leaning against the closed door, looking up at Severus through his eyelashes and hoping his worry was hid behind his bravado of coyness. "Not coming with me?"

Severus shook his head. "Don’t offer something half-heartedly, Harry."

Hearing the unspoken implications, Harry straightened up and reached out to lace his fingers with Severus'. "Come in with me?"

Smiling softly, Severus nodded his head, allowing himself to be led into Harry's bedroom and clicking the door closed behind him.


	11. Chapter Eleven - Control

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2700  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,   
**Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

Inspiration for this chapter was found in art drawn for this story by ChiakiDark

 

 

 

As Severus came up to consciousness that morning, he was aware of gentle fingers stroking over the bulge in his boxers. Growling softly, he reached out to lace his fingers tightly through Harry's hair, keeping his eyes closed as he growled, "Did I say you could touch me, brat?"

Pressing his head against Severus' hand, Harry hummed happily and continued stroking. "You didn't say I couldn't. You need to learn to be much more specific with your commands."

Untangling his fingers, Severus swiped Harry around the head, smirking a little at the brunette's disgruntled yelp. "I believe I was promised a submissive nature?"

"Since when does that negate being spunky?"

"I see my vocabulary has rubbed off on you."

Harry smirked and slid his fingers daringly into Severus' boxers, letting out his held breath when the older man didn’t reprimand him. "It's not the only thing."

"Hush, brat, and put your mouth to better use."

Cheerfully misinterpreting that, Harry ducked away from Severus' offered kiss and thrust his head under the sheets; a flick of his wrist that amazed even him with its grace and speed had Severus' prick standing free of his boxer shorts, and Harry eyed it for a moment while he gathered his courage, before closing his mouth over the head and sucking tentatively. 

Severus fully hardened instantly, and threw his arm over his eyes as his free hand wormed under the sheets to wrap into Harry's hair again. As Harry almost choked in a misguided attempt to deep throat him, Severus batted the brunette away and threw the covers off them, sitting up and pulling Harry up as well. "Impatient brat. Have you ever performed fellatio before?"

Harry blushed, and shook his head softly. "No, but I have DVDs…"

"DVDs?"

"They're a muggle thing – you'll like them. But I kind of know…."

Silencing Harry with a look, Severus shook his head softly. "You think I'll let you near me with 'kind of' knowledge? You will do this properly, or not at all."

Bringing his fingers up to stroke over Harry's cheek, Severus waited for the younger man to nod softly before he gripped Harry's chin, holding the brunette in place and smirking. "Such a pretty little mouth, Harry. So very many possibilities." Pressing his finger to the seam of Harry's lips, Severus smiled when Harry opened his mouth obediently; allowing the potion-stained digit to slide into the hot, wet cavern of his mouth.

Harry pressed his tongue against the pad of Severus' finger, massaging it gently before he held the slim digit gently between his teeth and sucked, humming as Severus withdrew his finger against the suction with a pop. His prick ached, and Harry couldn't contain the whimper as Severus trailed his damp finger down Harry's chest to trace the bulge in Harry's sleep pants. "Take these off and let me see you."

His fingers trembled as he pushed the soft jersey material over his hips, kicking it off his legs and to the floor, and allowed Severus to move him onto his back in the centre of the bed. Harry blushed under the heat of Severus' gaze, especially when the older man flattened his hands against Harry's thighs and pushed them apart. Yes, they'd had sex, but Severus' hadn't done this – hadn't spent long minutes looking at Harry's body. It made a strange thrill of heat rise in Harry's blood, and his breath caught in his throat as Severus lowered his head, nuzzling Harry's aching prick gently. 

Inhaling the deep, clean musk that was Harry, Severus took his time nudging and exploring the brunette with the tip of his nose, before sticking his tongue out and licking a path up Harry's swollen shaft, making the younger man keen with need. Settling himself into a better position, Severus kept one hand splayed flat on the soft, heated skin of Harry's inner thigh, and wrapped the other around the base of Harry's shaft as he closed his lips over the spongy head. 

Harry tasted divine, and Severus suckled gently, leading Harry slowly and calmly into the blow job, taking his time to let Harry feel every flicker of his tongue, and anticipating teaching the brunette how to mimic him. 

Harry's fingers were clenched in the bed sheets, and he was thinking about Transfiguration theory to prevent himself coming too soon. It was the most incredible feeling in the world – hot and wet and tight, fantastic sensation that made Harry's balls draw up and beg to release. It was something that Ginny had refused because it was _degrading_. He was trying to resist the urge to come, not wanting to embarrass himself, but then he made the fatal mistake of opening his eyes. Seeing Severus' head bowed over his prick, seeing a tantalising hint of pink lips stretched around his shaft, was too much, and Harry thrashed in the sheets as he emptied himself into Severus' mouth. 

Swallowing fast, Severus lapped Harry clean before moving to loom over the younger man, dropping down for a kiss tainted with Harry's seed. As he pulled away, Severus caught the blush on Harry's cheeks.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not… not warning you, or… shouldn't have…"

Silencing the babbling brunette with another kiss, Severus smiled against his lips and drew back to pepper gentle kisses over Harry's jaw. "Do not apologise. Now you know exactly what to do, you'll be prepared to demonstrate to me."

Harry wriggled, hands resting on Severus' hips as he searched onyx eyes for permission. "Now?"

Severus moved off Harry, propping himself up against the pillows and Vanishing his boxers with a wave of his hand. He smirked at the greedy way Harry eyed him, and spread his legs slightly, pleased that Harry took the silent invitation and moved to kneel between his thighs. "Show me what you've learned."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus stretched and set his book down on the coffee table, reaching forward to stroke the tip of Harry's tail as it hung off the armrest of the chair the brunette was curled up in. "Come on, brat, we haven't left the house all day. A walk into the village will do us both good."

Pouting, Harry flicked his tail out of Severus' fingers, tickling the end over the yellow-stained digits teasingly. "Do we have to? It's a pain to put my glamours on, and they itch."

Severus captured Harry's tail, tugging at it lightly and listening to Harry purr in delight. He seemed to like a little rough play with his most stunning appendage. "Then leave them off. We are in a Wizarding village, I've already seen a lycanthrope and a half-dryad – no one will mind."

Harry shook his head and Summoned his wand over. "I'll mind. Give me a minute to put them on, and we'll go."

Shaking his head, Severus spoke before the Sottomesso could settle to casting wards. "Are you ashamed of it, of your tail?"

Harry shrugged and flicked the muscle out of Severus' grip and into his own fingers, stroking it softly a few times. "Kind of, yeah."

"Why?"

Harry shrugged again, and looked away from Severus' eyes as he answered, "I dunno. Because it's proof, isn't it, that I'm weak."

Stunned, Severus sat forward in the chair and waited for Harry's curiosity to prompt him to look up before he spoke, "Harry, it's a sign of your Heritage."

"Yeah, which is to be a good little boy and do what I'm told."

The words dripped with sarcasm, and Severus was reminded of the teenager he'd butted heads with so often in their school careers. "Harry, to give up control is not weak. It's a show of strength."

Harry shrugged. "But I don't choose to. I just obey, without thought for consequences."

Sighing, Severus was not prepared to let this go. Rolling up his sleeve, he exposed the Dark Mark that still stained the pale skin of his forearm. "One choice led me into a whole host of situations where I had no option but to obey, to give up control. Does that make me weak?"

Jerking his head up, Harry looked at Severus as though he were insane. "What? No, of course it doesn't! You were doing what you had to do, to stay alive. To make sure the right people won the war! You risked your life for people that were too stupid to see it, and even then you kept on fighting while people like me just bitched at you. You're _not_ weak!"

Smiling softly, Severus held his palm out flat, the Mark holding both of their gazes before Severus looked up, waiting for Harry to meet his eyes. "If I can learn not to be ashamed of this, then you can learn not to be ashamed of your tail. It is, as you are, beautiful."

Harry smiled, flicking his tail out to wrap around Severus' forearm, watching the play of the black of his fur against the dark grey of Severus' Mark. Suspecting that Severus was probably right, Harry nodded softly. "All right. I'll try."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As they lay in bed, Severus trailed his fingers up and down Harry's arm, watching the steady rise and fall of the younger man's chest as he waited for sleep to find him. Quietly, Severus mused out loud, "Would you give up control to me willingly, Harry, if I asked?"

He'd thought Harry asleep, and almost missed the brunette's whispered response.

"Yes."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry shuffled into the kitchen, rubbing sleep from his eyes and sinking into a chair at the table. "Coffee."

Smiling at the groaned request, Severus poured a cup for Harry and refilled his own. Moving to sit next to Harry, Severus held the cup just out of reach and fixed his expression into a stern mask. ""Manners, brat."

Pouting, Harry held a hand out beseechingly and whined, "Coffee, _please_ , Severus." Smirking when the hot mug was passed to him, Harry blew across the surface and took a few sips, waiting until he felt the caffeine begin to work before he looked up at Severus and smiled lopsidedly. "You're up early."

"I have things to do. As do you." Smiling at the confused look that bloomed on Harry's face, Severus Summoned over a sheet of parchment and pushed it to Harry. "I have some errands to run. You are going to the central library in Madrid, to consult these texts and check out any that you find through your research that look useful."

Harry pouted and drained his mug, wincing a little at the bitter taste. "Aren't you coming?"

"No, as I told you, I have errands to run. I'll prepare dinner for seven, which is when you'll return from the library."

"But, Severus…"

"No buts."

"Fine, but I want another coffee first." Remembering his manners at the raised brow, Harry grinned, "Please."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry drew to a stop, staring in awe at the scene in front of him. The small coffee table in front of the two-seater bench had been covered in a soft yellow table cloth, an array of finger food set out atop it. Candles floated in the air around them, complimenting the stars and providing soft, warm light. Gentle music played, but he couldn't see a radio anywhere.

Strong arms wrapped around his waist, and Harry melted back against Severus' chest, his eyes falling closed as he hummed in delight. "You did all this?"

"I thought you may like your first time with a man to be something romantic and memorable."

Harry smiled, tipping his head to the side and inhaling the musk of Severus' skin. "It won't be my first time, though."

Smirking, Severus squeezed Harry a little, laughter lacing his stern tone. "Impertinent brat. Use your imagination!" When there was no response, Severus glanced down, and saw Harry's hand pressing rhythmically against his groin. "What are you doing?"

"Using my imagination," came the breathy reply, and Severus bit back a groan. 

"Tell me."

Harry blushed, and Severus saw his eyes squeeze more tightly shut. But, just as he was about to recant the order, Harry's pink tongue darted out to wet his lips, and he began speaking in a tone that was low and sultry, heavy and soft like expensive velvet, and an aphrodisiac like Severus had never encountered before. 

"I'm innocent, and alone, tending to my vines, when I feel movement behind me. Before I can turn, a blindfold is slid over my eyes; I can smell spice and sandalwood on his skin. I know it’s a he, because he is thick and hard, pressing into my arse," Harry began rolling his hips back against Severus, delighted to find answering hardness to his own there. His voice became more confident, knowing he was affecting Severus like this, and he resumed speaking. "He tells me to trust him, and I do, not just because it's an order, but because I know I can. He bends me forward, tying my hands to the vine support and stripping my clothes from me roughly, ripping the fabric apart. I'm naked, can feel the sunlight on my skin, can feel the burning trail of his fingers as he touches me. He whispers spells, and then his long, skilled fingers are holding me open. He slides into me, and I scream out – he's thick and hard, shattering me from the inside. I'm begging and pleading, needing him to go faster, but he sets his own pace, and I know it's done with my best interests."

Severus’ fingers pushed Harry's out of the way, sliding into his trousers and stroking Harry, feeling the sticky pre-come trickling down the Gryffindor's hard shaft. With the way Harry was rolling his hips, Severus suspected this would be another pair of boxers put on a hot cleaning charm, and he barely bit back a growl of impatience as he waited for Harry to continue.

Harry had spoken himself into a frenzy, and he had to fight for the breath to continue his story. "And I… and I come, but he isn’t finished. He thrusts through… using me until he's come himself and he… he leaves… gods, he leaves me there, falling to my knees, bound up… tells me he'll be back later… Severus, please…"

Harry's plea did not fall on deaf ears, and Severus stepped sideways, sitting heavily on the bench and pulling Harry into his lap. The brunette wriggled round to face Severus, crashing their lips together in a desperate kiss as Severus Vanished Harry's trousers and boxers with a nifty piece of wandless magic. He added stretching and lubrication charms into the mix, and groaned when Harry's fumbling fingers undid his trousers, freeing his erection and holding it in place as the brunette sank down onto it. 

Both men groaned as they joined, and though it wasn't the best position, it was enough. Severus thrust up as Harry bounced in his lap, and held the brunette's head in place as they kissed, wet and open-mouthed to ensure they could both still breathe. Harry came first, his come soaking through Severus' shirt and making the material stick to Severus' stomach. A few more thrusts upwards, combined with Harry's clenching heat, and Severus was biting the brunette's lip as he came hard.

They kissed languidly for a few more minutes, and then Harry pulled back to collapse, happy and sated, against Severus' chest. They were still joined together, and Harry had no desire to move them apart. 

After long, blissful minutes, Severus tipped Harry's head up and kissed his bruised, swollen lip softly. "I apologise. Would you like some ice?"

Harry flicked his tongue out, tasting the area, and shook his head. "It'll be all right. I'm sorry that I ruined your plans, though."

"Believe me, Harry, in no way, shape, or form were they ruined. And I learnt a lot about you from that delicious little monologue."

Harry flushed, staring at the buttons of Severus’ shirt as he asked, "Will you do it?"

"Perhaps. Hungry?"

Harry nodded, finally moving off Severus and sliding his trousers back on as Severus tucked himself into his own trousers. Curling against Severus' side, Harry smiled happily and opened his mouth for the small piece of bread offered to him between potion-stained fingers. 

 

**Author's Note** \- Due to being out of town, there will be no chapter on Sunday. Normal posting will resume next Wednesday. *S*S* x


	12. Chapter Twelve - The Bitter Truth

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~1800  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

Severus was worried. 

Over the past few months, he and Harry had grown much closer. He'd learnt so much about the younger man, and revealed more of himself to Harry than he'd ever shown anyone before. They'd talked through the hard things, the memories of the war that haunted both of them, and the easy things. Harry had introduced him to the DBD things, which in themselves did not sit right with Severus, but Harry's reaction to them sat _very_ right with him. He'd stumbled over Harry's little box of toys in a drawer, and used each and every one until Harry was barely conscious with pleasure, begging and babbling for anything and everything if Severus would just _please do that again!_

And somehow, in between discovering Harry, mind, body – especially body – and soul, Severus had found the time to continue with his promise to help Harry find a way out of his Creature Heritage. That was why Severus was worried. Even with the Wizarding Library Interlending System – giving him access to the catalogue of every major library in the Wizarding world – he was rapidly running out of places to look. 

Closing yet another useless book, Severus stretched and stepped off the porch, walking into the vines to find Harry. The brunette had been muttering about the state of his harvest most of the morning, and Severus found him singing encouragingly to some grapes as he pruned the vine. Chuckling softly, Severus wrapped one arm around Harry's chest and the other around Harry's waist, smiling as the brunette jolted in surprise before laughing at the realisation it was Severus. Severus felt Harry's tail curl around his thigh, bringing them closer together as Harry put on a ridiculously girly voice, "Oh, I've been captured! Whatever shall I do?"

Biting Harry's neck, Severus sucked the skin into a dark purple bloom before licking it gently, transferring his attentions to the shell of Harry's ear and whispering to him darkly, "I seem to recall your plan in this situation was to let me tie you up and fuck your pretty little arse raw."

Harry shivered, loving when Severus coupled his deep, gravely, commanding tone with coarse words and promises. "Will you?"

"Perhaps. After lunch – you haven't eaten all morning."

Harry chuckled, leaning up for a kiss when Severus released him. "You worry about me too much."

"It isn’t worry. More desire to keep you healthy and energetic enough to service my needs."

Smirking, Harry backed away from Severus, laughter lacing his tone as he announced, "You'll have to catch me before I do that!"

Letting Harry begin to run, Severus calmly held out his wand and muttered, "Accio Harry."

Squeaking as magic wrapped around him and yanked him backwards, Harry felt himself caught by a cushioning charm, Severus' lips at his ear as long fingers moved to squeeze viciously over his prick. "I have you caught. I think spending the day tied up and repenting your mischief should be punishment enough."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The radio played Spanish pop as they cut and cleaned vegetables, both men chatting together and working around each other in an easy rhythm that belied their bare six-month acquaintance. As a particularly bright and cheerful song came on the radio, Severus chuckled and shook his head. "I'll miss these songs when I'm back in England."

Harry flinched, slicing the knife through the courgette and into his finger. Cursing under his breath, Harry dropped the knife and shoved his finger in his mouth, sucking firmly and tasting the coppery tang of blood. Pulling his finger from his mouth, he inspected the cut before healing it with a whispered spell. 

"Harry?"

Not looking up, Harry turned back to the chopping board, Vanishing the stained knife, courgette and board and Summoning over new ones. "Yes?"

Everything – the set of his shoulders, the tone of his voice, the way his head was bowed – told Severus that Harry was angry. Or upset. Or both. "Harry, what's wrong? What did I say?"

Setting the knife down – his hand was trembling too much to use it anyway – Harry turned round and looked up at Severus, his glare deepening at the older man's evident confusion. "You're going back to England?"

"Well, yes, I…"

"Why?"

The question was harsh, demanding, and Severus set down the knife he'd been holding, wiping his hands on a tea towel and turning to face Harry full on. "Because my sabbatical is only a year. You know this Harry, we've talked at length about my job and life in England since you left. I must return to my job."

"The job you love."

"Yes."

Harry scoffed, turning around and resting his hands on the counter. He felt Severus move closer to him, and stepped away when the older man's hand brushed against his shoulder. "Don't."

"Harry, I don't understand why…"

Temper snapping, Harry's tail swished dangerously behind him, his eyes blazing as his voice dipped to a dangerous hiss. "You talked about it before we did anything. Excuse me for thinking the fact you were prepared to jump me meant you might have reconsidered your plans. But no, you still intend to go _home_ to the job you _love_. Which I guess makes me a hotel, with whore included in the price."

Uncouthly, Severus' mouth dropped open as Harry ended his tirade and stormed out of the kitchen, the slamming of the brunette's bedroom door making the windows rattle in their panes.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry hadn't resurfaced from his bedroom, and Severus was reluctant to play into the brunette's strop. But when the clock inched round to midnight and Harry still hadn't come back out, Severus knew he'd have to say something, if only to find any way to sleep that night. Putting aside the book he'd been staring unseeingly at most of the evening, Severus stood up and left the living room, walking down the hallway and stopping outside Harry's door.

He'd been thinking on the altercation ever since it happened, and Severus believed he had a good idea what it was about. But how to soothe those fears in Harry, when he held them in himself? Sighing, Severus considered saying nothing, but knew that wasn't really an option. So he rapped his knuckles on the door. 

No answer or response was forthcoming, so Severus opened the door and stepped into Harry's room. The starlight streaming through the open curtains provided more than enough light to see by, and Severus swallowed as his mind supplied images of Harry basking in the starlight, skin sweaty and shining as they found pleasure together. 

Though Harry was still, and not throwing Severus out of his room, Severus knew he wasn't sleeping – the set of his body was too tense for him to be anything other than awake and holding his breath to avoid conversation. Closing his eyes, Severus put his over analytical mind to rest, and spoke from his heart. "If I had thought for even a second that you would give up the life you have here and come back to England, with only me and the cramped, grimy life I lead as incentive, I would have asked you. But who am I to expect you to leave your life here for nothing more than myself?"

"Then stay."

Severus hadn't been expecting an answer, and he opened his eyes to see Harry sat up on the bed, legs crossed and expression open as he looked at Severus. "I cannot."

"Why not?"

Pushing his sleeve up, Severus closed his fingers around the Dark Mark. "Because of this. I am too young to give up working, and no Ministry in the world will grant me stay of existence and permit for employment when they discover my past. At least in England, the Minister has first-hand knowledge of the good I wrought during the war, which the rest of the world does not care to see. England is my home, my temperament, where my heart was shaped for better or worse."

Harry swallowed, his eyes flickering away from Severus' face, unable to look at Severus when he spoke, "Then ask me to come with you."

"Really, Harry? You want that?"

"Yes."

"And how long before the doubt sets in? An hour, a week? How long before you convince yourself that I only asked to access the whore that comes with the hotel?"

Harry flinched at having his words turned back on him, and dropped his head. "I'm sorry."

"As am I." 

"But what would people say, if I went back?"

Used by now to Harry's seemingly random topic jumps, Severus moved to sit on the bed, letting his anger at Harry's unfounded accusations fade away, and focusing instead on soothing the brunette's fears. "About your relationship with me?"

"No… I don't care about that. I mean about _me_ , about what I am."

"Why should it matter?"

Harry sighed, bringing his knees up and folding his arms around them, chin resting on his knees. "It just does. Severus, I don’t just wear the glamours outside because I'm ashamed. I'm not even that anymore, not really. You made me see it wasn't something to be ashamed of. But I also… I don't like standing out. I don't want people to stare, to whisper behind their hands when I walk past. If people found out what I am, they'd… what if they used it against me?"

"Do you think I would allow that to happen?"

Harry looked up, studying Severus' expression carefully. His eyes widened slightly in surprise, as though he were seeing something for the first time, and he shook his head softly. "No, you wouldn't."

"No, I wouldn't. But Harry, there are nearly six months before I need to return. In that time we may have found a get out clause or…"

Shaking his head, Harry transferred his gaze to the vast sky outside. "We won't. I always kind of knew it. There isn’t a way out of this without causing myself serious bodily harm, and probably death. I can't change who I am, I never have been able to, even when I was a kid."

Sighing, Severus reached out, running his fingers through Harry's hair and down to his chin, turning the brunette's face to him. "Then we change focus. If we can't undo this, we find a way to minimise its hold over you. I am not going to abandon you, Harry."

Tipping his head to the side, Harry met Severus' gaze again, needing to hear something to reaffirm his faith. "Then ask me to go back with you."

Against his better judgement, Severus spoke quietly, "Come back with me?"

"If I can."

Seeing the answer for what it was – the truth, come good or bad – Severus smiled softly, allowing himself to be pulled until he moved with Harry, lying on the bed and spooning around Harry's back.


	13. Chapter Thirteen - A Breakthrough

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~3800  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

Severus woke early, confused for a moment as to where he was. When his mind caught up, he looked to the side and ran his fingers across Harry's cheek, smiling as the younger man snuffled slightly in his sleep and burrowed closer to Severus' touch. At some point, Severus had removed his clothes and slid under the covers, and he spotted his clothes on the soft chair by the dresser. 

Moving Harry carefully out of his arms, Severus stood up and stretched, walking over to the chair but stopping when he heard a soft snigger.

Harry had woken when Severus touched him, and his eyes fluttered open as the bed shifted. Harry was about to say good morning when he caught sight of the chocolate wrapper stuck to Severus' pale arse. Sniggering, he pointed to the mirror wordlessly when Severus turned around and shot him a questioning look.

Following Harry's line of sight, Severus looked at his profile in the mirror and rolled his eyes, moving his fingers to pluck the chocolate wrapper off his skin, eyeing the smear of molten chocolate in disgust. "Eating in bed is disgusting."

Harry nodded, slinking off the bed and towards Severus. Wiping the smear off, he popped his finger into his mouth and sucked it clean, looking up at Severus through his eyelashes. Popping his finger out of his mouth with a teasing slurp, Harry shrugged. "I was hungry."

Remembering more of their altercation yesterday, Severus sighed softly. "What did you eat yesterday?"

"Chocolate, some cereal bars, some fruit. Enough."

"And where did you get this food from, considering you locked yourself in your bedroom like a teenage girl?"

Harry flinched and dropped his head. "I'm sorry."

Cupping Harry's chin, Severus lifted his head up, letting the truth of his words infuse his expression as he told Harry, "I know, and I forgive you. If you forgive me, for the carelessness of my words?"

Nodding, Harry lost himself in Severus eyes for a moment, before shaking his head and nodding softly. "I… I have a stash, in the drawer by the bed."

"A stash?" Severus chuckled, breaking the tension between them and causing Harry to melt against his chest, all sinewy arms and faux-innocence.

"Yep, for when I wake up hungry and need a midnight snack, but can't be bothered to walk to the kitchen."

"I've never seen you eat in bed."

"I have a better source of sustenance now." 

Severus' eyes fell closed, his body thrumming as he remembered the nights where he woke, Harry's mouth soft and hot and perfect around him. "Come, brat, you need proper food for breakfast."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry eyed the plate Severus put down in front of him incredulously, before transferring his gaze to the older man. "You realise that I have eaten in the past four years, right?"

Swiping Harry round the head, Severus got his own – substantially less full – plate and sat down next to Harry, pouring two cups of coffee and two glasses of orange juice. "Less cheek, brat, and more eating."

Picking up his knife and fork, Harry stuck his tongue out at Severus before diving in. They ate in companionable silence, Severus scanning the headlines of the English-language newspaper that Harry had delivered every morning, while Harry focused on eating, occasionally breaking for a mouthful of coffee. When he'd cleaned his plate, Harry belched appreciatively and leant back in his chair, ignoring Severus' disapproving glare. "We need to go to the market. I'll get changed, and then will you come with me?"

"You cannot go to the market alone? However did you survive seven years alone?"

Harry flushed, and forced his voice into an even tone to hide the nerves making his skin crawl. "I was thinking I might leave my glamours off." 

Severus finished his coffee, closing the paper and folding it up before he turned to look at Harry. Perhaps the brunette didn’t realise quite how well Severus could read him, but all the airy tone in the world couldn't hide the nervousness bubbling just below the surface. "There is no rush."

"I know, but I want to try."

"Harry…"

"If I'm going to go back to England, I need to start somewhere, right?"

Severus nodded; much as he'd like to, he couldn't fault the brunette's logic. All he could do was stay close and be at hand if Harry decided this was too much, too soon. While Harry went to go and get dressed, Severus rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, shaking his head at the Gryffindor-ish show of solidarity, but knowing it would work all the same. 

Harry grabbed his money bag and slid it into the pocket of his jeans, tail swishing nervously behind him as he met Severus in the hallway by the front door. He clocked Severus' rolled up sleeves and gestured to them as he bent down to tie his laces. "Your sleeves are still up."

"I know."

Harry paused in tying his laces. While Severus was more than happy to have his sleeves rolled up around the house, he always rolled them down when they were going anywhere public. Harry smiled at the show of support and quickly finished doing his laces before straightening up and gesturing to the door. "Shall we?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As was usual for such a small village, and for the fact of Harry living so far out of the way, they didn't run into anyone until they reached the open air market that spread over most of the plaza. Harry's tail was ramrod straight and swinging slightly from side to side, a sign of his discomfort. Slowly, Severus reached his fingers out, lacing them with Harry's and squeezing reassuringly. "What did you want from the market?"

"Fruit, cheese, meat, and spices."

"Okay." Taking the wicker basket from his pocket, Severus Enlarged it to its full size and set along the first row of stalls. He could feel eyes on them, but there were no whispers or insults. There was nothing to hint that anyone was considering harming Harry, and Severus was so pleased by that that he quite forgot his own Mark until he was handing over money to a seller. He caught the look given to it, and then the seller looked up into his eyes. 

Tensing for an argument, Severus was surprised when the seller studied him for a moment, before shrugging and passing over Severus' change, wishing him a good day. He didn't realise Harry had seen the exchange until the brunette sidled up to him, leaning close to Severus as they looked at the cheeses on offer at the next stall, and whispered softly, "It's because he sees it in your eyes."

Turning his head, Severus saw that Harry's posture had relaxed significantly, and he questioned quietly, "Sees what?"

"That you're a good man."

Somehow, coming from Harry – said in that tone, with that expression – the words meant more to Severus than he could even comprehend.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When they got home, Harry sagged back against the closed door and breathed out slowly. It wasn't until he'd felt his wards wash over him that he'd truly relaxed, and Harry spent a few moments with his eyes closed, trying to slow his heartbeat and find some kind of calm equilibrium.

Setting the wicker basket on the small table near the front door, Severus stepped forward, covering Harry's body with his own and pressing the smaller man against the door. Cupping Harry's cheeks, Severus tipped his head up and leant down, kissing the brunette firmly, letting his pride in Harry's courage shine through every movement of his lips, every flicker of his tongue. 

Only when Harry was smooth and lax, staying up by the support of the door and the draw of Severus' kiss, did Severus break away, a slow smile playing over his lips. His words were soft and slow, each syllable drawn out, rolled around his tongue before he spoke it to Harry, watching the brunette's face flush darker with each word. "I'll have to reward you tonight, for being such a brave boy." 

When Severus stepped back and took the basket into the kitchen to unpack it, Harry sunk to the floor and rammed the heel of his hand into his groin to stave the pressure, waving goodbye to any visage of equilibrium.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Before the promised reward, Severus had insisted they spend some time looking through books for ways to lessen the hold of the Sottomesso Heritage. And, though it was difficult at first to focus on anything but Severus' long fingers as they turned pages delicately, Harry soon lost himself in his book, skim reading most of the text, and focusing in on anything that looked like it might be relevant.

Book after book passed through his fingers, and Harry felt despair beginning to set in again. He was destined to spend the rest of his life afraid of the syntax of other people. And if that wasn't just the most depressing thing in the world, Harry didn't know what was. 

He picked up the next book without looking, opening it and flicking through the pages. It took a few minutes for his brain to register the specific nature of the words he was reading, and Harry glanced up guiltily, checking that Severus was lost in his own research, scribbling notes on a sheet of parchment, before he focused in on the page. 

Barely stifling a whimper, Harry flicked back to the front page and read the title – ancient runes of which he could make out sex and love. Swallowing hard, Harry realised this was the book on sex magic that he'd been most dismayed to find in Dumbledore's personal library, especially considering most of the spells seemed specific to homosexual couples. That had been more information about his wrinkly old Headmaster than Harry had really wanted to know. 

He'd assumed at the time that it was also more information on the sex practices of gay men than he wanted to know, but taking into account his present situation, Harry found he was suddenly much more interested. 

The first few chapters were mainly practices and bizarre procedures to heighten sexual experience, along with some diagrams that made Harry's eyes cross. The final chapter, however, caught Harry's attention for a whole other reason, and he rechecked that Severus was paying him no attention before he began to read. 

The rituals were soul-bonds, ways to bind together the lives of lovers in ways that nothing, not magic, not even God himself, could put asunder. For a moment Harry felt a flicker of hope. But then he actually read the rituals. They were all designed to put the partners on equal footing and Harry knew, innately and accurately, that those bonds would not help him. 

He was about to jot a few notes for interesting positions he and Severus could try, and then discard the book, when he dropped it. As it hit the floor, the book fell open to the last page, and a final ritual. Shooting Severus a soft smile, Harry waited until the older man had returned to his own book before letting his eyes fall on the dusty text and read the paragraph of text preceding the description of the ritual. 

 

_Oft used for relationships where a weighted balance of power is required. Many sought to deny the bonding ritual, claiming it as unfair and used by those with nefarious means. However, for select partnerships, the Merlin ritual is best suited. So named for its creator, the Wizard Merlin who, born of an Incubus, sought for ways to protect relationships where one submits to the other. The ritual allows for a specific bond, ensuring the submissive partner can not go against their Dominant partner's wishes. This prevents the use of submissive partners, usually Creatures such as Incubi, Succubi, Dryad and Sottomesso, for nefarious motives, for example to utilise the power they hold, or to manipulate their partners._

 

Swallowing hard, Harry flicked his gaze up to Severus. But, before he could even attempt to find the words to express that he'd found a possibility, Severus had pushed his book closed and stood up. 

"Come on, brat. Time to eat, and then an early night."

Shivering in anticipation, Harry put the book to the side and decided to worry about it later.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Reaching for the hand of ginger they'd bought, Harry hummed when Severus seemed to appear from nowhere to wrap around him from behind, long fingers gliding over Harry's to turn the hand in between their fingers.

"I know a… _game_ with ginger."

Now that was a worrying sentence, and Harry bit his lip gently, watching the play of Severus' pale fingers against his own tanned ones, as the rough skin of the ginger root played across the pads of his fingers. "You do?"

"Mmm. However, I suspect it's a little too… extravagant for you."

Squeaking in shock, Harry fed faux-offence into his tone as he asked, "Are you calling me tame?!"

Chuckling darkly, Severus nipped Harry's earlobe, making the brunette jolt in his arms. "Oh no, Harry, I wouldn't make the mistake of calling you tame. Just perhaps… a little too innocent for this."

Harry smirked and twisted his head to speak against Severus' sinewy neck. "You wouldn't have suggested it if you believed that. Which can only mean you want me to beg for it."

"You don’t know what it is."

"I trust you anyway."

Groaning, Severus set the ginger down and picked up the knife. He cut deep into the hand beneath one finger, giving himself lots of the root to work with. With Harry still caught in his embrace, Severus moved his hands slowly and carefully, knowing Harry was watching every move as he prepared the ginger root. Peeling it carefully, he began shaping it into a smooth plug, thick enough not to break but slim enough to slide into place without difficulty. Carving out the groove that would allow Harry's sphincter to settle into place, Severus cast a stasis charm over the root and put it in the fridge, moving away from Harry to wash his hands. Gesturing to the half-chopped ingredients, Severus hid his smirk at Harry's evident predicament, pretending he couldn't see the tented trousers as he said, "Come on, I wish to eat this evening."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It seemed to take much longer than normal, to eat and wash the plates, and by the time Severus suggested they go to bed, Harry was itching with desire. He waited patiently while Severus got the ginger from the fridge, and followed the older man to their bedroom quietly. Biting his lip, Harry fell still and waited for Severus to tell him what to do.

Setting the ginger to one side, Severus sat down on the edge of the bed and gestured for Harry to sit next to him. "The one order, Harry, that surpasses all tonight, is that you must tell me if you need to stop."

"The safe word, right?"

"Precisely. Only that word, no amount of begging or pleading, will get me to stop. In fact," Severus leered and ran a teasing finger along Harry's thigh, tantalisingly close to the bulge in his trousers, "I'd quite like to hear you begging and pleading."

Harry whimpered low in his throat, a pleasing sound that made Severus' cock twitch in the confines of his boxers. Running his hand lightly over Harry's crotch, Severus' tone left no room for argument as he breathed, "Go and get clean, then come back here and lie face down on the bed."

Harry stood up, moving silently to the bathroom and starting the shower up. He stripped quickly, stepping under the firm spray and basking in the heat of the water. He could feel spells being cast in the other room, but he didn’t let that distract him from his task, and Harry cleaned himself quickly and thoroughly. 

Stepping out from under the shower, Harry Summoned his towel and dried himself quickly, using a spell on his hair and rubbing it with the towel to get rid of the residual dampness. He glanced at his robe, but Severus hadn't told him to put it on, so Harry left it hanging on its peg, and stepped out of the bathroom. 

His peripheral vision caught the length of silk rope hanging from a hook in the ceiling that definitely hadn't been there when Harry went into the shower, along with the padded bench from his dresser moved to the centre of the room, directly under the rope. The comfortable chair that sat next to the chest of drawers had also been moved, but Harry ignored all that, moving instead to the bed and lying down on it gracefully, folding his hands under his head and waiting. 

Severus shut the real world out of his mind, narrowing his perception to only this room, only this man waiting patiently for whatever Severus meted out. Smiling, Severus knelt on the bed and pushed Harry's legs open, stroking his tail softly out of the way and getting himself comfortable. Leaning forward, Severus used his hand to hold Harry's cheeks apart, hearing the squeak of surprise just before he delved between firm globes and licked Harry's furled entrance. 

As hot, clean musk exploded over his tongue, Severus heard Harry crying out in pleasure and surprise, and smirked gently, furling his tongue and probing at Harry's tight pucker, getting it slick and wet and open as Harry writhed underneath him. 

When Harry was open enough to accommodate the ginger, Severus pulled back, ignoring the whine coming from his young lover and wiping his mouth on his arm before reaching out to Harry, pulling the other man up and off the bed, and kissing him possessively. "Up on the bench."

Harry followed, his cock flushed and leaking as it bounced with every step he took. With Severus' help, Harry knelt up on the quilted bench, moving his arms obligingly over his head where Severus tied his wrists firmly together, then attached them to the rope hanging down. 

Drawing his wand, Severus cast a sticking charm on the bench, and smiled, "So you don't buck it over," before setting his wand to the side and picking the piece of ginger off the plate. Walking around Harry, Severus pressed the pale root carefully into Harry, letting it settle into place and checking that it wasn't going to fall out. Satisfied, Severus moved around to face Harry and smiled. "I'm going to wash my hands. Don't move."

As he listened to the water running, Harry wondered exactly what Severus had been teasing him about. This wasn't anything special, the ginger just felt cold and wet in his arse. Sighing, Harry shifted on the bench and wondered if he should lie and tell Severus how amazing this was, or tell the truth and say he was unimpressed. After all, with everything else they'd done, Severus had listened to his opinions. Hearing Severus re-enter the room, Harry looked up, but he was cut off by Severus moving in for a kiss. 

Just the sight of Harry tied up for him was making Severus' cock ache to be released, but the anticipation of when the ginger took hold was really making Severus thrum with excitement. Breaking the kiss, Severus stepped back and seated himself carefully in the chair, folding his legs and resting his hands on the arms of the chair. He held Harry's eyes, and when he saw the ginger take effect, the change in emerald eyes was beautiful – they widened and darkened as Harry realised what was happening.

It felt like a tickle at first, but soon developed into a cool, stinging burn that had tears prickling at Harry's eyes. He gasped, and involuntarily clenched his buttocks, which made the burn flare. "Fuck! Severus… fuck!"

Allowing the smirk to dance across his face, Severus gorged his eyes as he watched a fine sweat break out over Harry's skin. The poor thing looked so confused, so lost as to what to do to alleviate the torture, and Severus couldn't help but go and interfere.

When Severus walked behind him, Harry sighed in relief. He thought Severus was going to pull the ginger out, and give him peace. But instead, Harry jolted forwards as a sharp slap landed on his arse. Which of course made him clench his buttocks. Which of course made the burn flare up. When the second slap landed, Harry tried not to clench his buttocks, but it proved to be impossible. 

And yet, his prick was throbbing more than he'd imagined possible. He was so hard it hurt, which just added to the torment. When Severus' fingers closed around the base of his cock, squeezing tight and staving off orgasm, Harry wailed and thrust wildly in his bonds. 

Severus had intended to stretch this out, to watch Harry's sweet torment until the brunette was half-crazy with lust. But the responsiveness of the younger man appealed to Severus, eroded his control, and he knew he needed to be inside Harry soon, or very bad things would happen. 

Slapping Harry's arse a few more times for good measure, Severus licked a bead of sweat from between Harry's shoulder blades as he reached up and untied the brunette's hands. Severus hummed in appreciation when Harry's hands fell to his hips, twitching but not touching his cock. The brunette continually surprised him, by obeying the orders that Severus left tacit purely to see what Harry would do. 

Stripping his own clothes, Severus lifted Harry carefully and moved him to the bed, arranging the younger man on all fours with his beautiful, flushed arse high in the air. Summoning the lubricant, Severus slicked up his cock before pulling the root out, tossing it carelessly to the floor as he buried himself roughly in Harry's silken heat. 

Barely prepared and still feeling the effects of the ginger, Harry howled at the burn, pushing back against Severus and flexing, his confused senses having no idea what he should do. It was exquisite torture, painful perfection that made Harry feel _alive_. He moved into Severus' thrusts as best he could, but when the older man wrapped his fingers around Harry's bouncing cock and stroked, Harry was lost. 

Severus managed a couple of thrusts before the rippling tightness of Harry's channel stole his climax from him, and he came hard, slumping forward over Harry as his heart raced in time to the spurts of semen painting Harry's inner walls. He gathered the sense to roll sideways, pulling Harry with him so that they remained joined but he wasn't squashing the other under him. They lay in silence for a long time, until Harry finally exhaled slowly.

"Fuck."

"Too much?"

"No. I mean… yes, but no. Fuck, I don’t know what I mean. I think my brain's broke." 

Smirking, Severus parted them gently, Summoning a sheet to cover them and letting Harry burrow against his body in a position more comfortable to sleep in. "Then I achieved my goal. Goodnight, Harry."

"Night, Severus."


	14. Chapter Fourteen - Suggestion

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~1800  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

Harry padded slowly into the kitchen, still feeling the after-effects of the night before. He smiled when Severus pulled out a chair for him, the older man's fingers squeezing his shoulder reassuringly when Harry hissed at the pressure on his arse.

"Sore?"

"Kind of."

Severus placed a mug of coffee in front of Harry, and returned his hands to the brunette's shoulders, squeezing softly as he asked, "Too much? Did I overstep a boundary?"

Shaking his head vehemently, Harry nuzzled his chin against Severus' fingers, eyeing his breakfast longingly but waiting for the moment. "No, you didn't. You wouldn't, I know that."

Pleased at the trust shown him, Severus leant down to whisper hotly in Harry's ear. "Then perhaps you'll be interested in the other game I know with ginger, where a sliver of that delicious, burning root is pushed into your slit, setting your shaft on fire while I torment you with soft touches."

Harry whimpered lightly, his legs sliding open as Severus watched the bulge in pyjama bottoms grow. Smirking, Severus pushed away from Harry and moved to the window, taking the paper from the owl that had just flown up and paying it. By the time Severus took his seat at the table, Harry had regained a little composure, and was sipping at his coffee slowly. Severus buttered his toast, scanning the paper as Harry devoured fruit and cereal, along with two rounds of toast and more coffee than Severus thought was healthy, though Harry assured him it was needed. 

When both were finished, Severus cleaned the plates with a murmured spell and stood up. "I'm going to continue researching. What are your plans for the day?"

"I need a bath, and then the vines need some work. I'll come get you for lunch, okay?"

"That sounds agreeable. Try not to enjoy yourself too much in the bath, Harry."

Snickering, Harry flicked his tail over his pyjama-covered arse, and tossed over his shoulder as he walked out of the kitchen, "No promises."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus had opted to eat lunch as he read, but Harry wasn't taking that as an answer when he entered the study around seven that evening. "Come on, you've been reading all day. Come and eat with me."

Sighing, Severus closed the heavy book and scrubbed his eyes. Silently, he stood and followed Harry into the kitchen, a small smile breaking past his despair at the beautifully set table, complete with fresh garden flowers and a good bottle of red to go with the food. They ate in silence; it was unusual for them not to talk even a little about their days. 

Knowing it was he who was bringing the mood down, Severus set down his cutlery and took a sip of wine, savouring the expensive Shiraz before he reached over and rested his hand over Harry's arm. "I apologise for being such dull company tonight. It has been a long and fruitless day. I am out of relevant books in your collection, which means beginning again with the libraries."

Speaking before he thought about it, Harry pushed his fish around his plate as he muttered, "I might have found something."

His hands froze above his cutlery, and Severus' gaze flashed onto Harry's bowed head, mind immediately wondering what it was that Harry wouldn't have told him about immediately. "You might have."

"It… well… you wouldn't want to anyway, so…"

"Harry."

"You could bond with me, but you probably wouldn't want to so it's a stupid solution anyway."

Harry decided the best way to end this conversation was to have his mouth full, so he speared the remainder of his fish on his fork and rammed it into his mouth. Unsurprisingly, it was much too large, and Harry ended up with his cheeks bulging, trying not to spurt salmon all over the kitchen as he choked on it. 

Rolling his eyes, Severus passed Harry a napkin and averted his eyes as the younger man spat the food out and took a few gulps of wine to clear his throat or get some courage, Severus couldn't decide which. When Harry had calmed down sufficiently, Severus folded his hands neatly on his lap and stared at the brunette. "Do you really think so low of me, and yourself, that you'd offer something like that and then recant it straight away? Is this still about my returning to England?"

"No. It's… you'd be stuck with me for life."

While the choice of words was telling, the defeated tone and the slump of Harry's shoulders spoke volumes, and Severus’ heart ached for the child who had lived, to create a man so full of doubt at his own desirability as a constant in anyone's life. Though he wanted to reach out, Severus knew this conversation would be better had without the taint of physical contact between them. "And what has led you to believe that I would not like that situation?"

Harry's heart contracted painfully, but he ignored it as he tried to stop his hopes soaring skywards. "Because… I don't know, but…"

"Then don't presume."

Familiar fire in his eyes, Harry met Severus’ intense gaze and forced his voice to stay level and unwavering as he spoke. "My own doubts aside, I do not want you in my life if you're only doing it out of pity. I don't want to spend my life with someone who only feels a sense of duty, of obligation."

"I feel no such sense. Surely, after more than fifteen years in each others’ acquaintance, you know that I do not tend to suffer such altruistic, Gryffindor-ish emotions?"

Smiling a little at the snarky tone, Harry shook his head softly. "I suppose. But Severus… I can't ask that of you. I just can't."

"Has it occurred to you, even once, that perhaps I have always had a small idea, a fleeting thought that the manipulation of a spell may help you, and I did not speak up for I feared rejection just as you do?"

Harry's eyes widened, and he put his fork back down as he gaped at Severus. "You know about the bonding ritual?"

Smirking, Severus shook his head and took a sip of wine. "I do now. Idly, I've considered the manipulation of many spells that may help you, and dismissed all of them. However, due to your inability to go up against Slytherin cunning, I now know the spell you believe may help. So, are you going to bring the book to me, or do I have to manipulate its whereabouts from you?"

"I might enjoy that."

"I doubt it very much. You'd be surprised the uses one can find for a corkscrew." 

Swallowing, Harry couldn't work out if Severus were being serious or not, and decided it was best to err on the side of caution. Pushing his chair back, he jogged into the study, finding the book where he'd stashed it on the shelves, and returning to the kitchen only to bump into Severus in the hallway.

"The living room may be more comfortable."

Harry shrugged, following Severus into the room and sitting at the other end of the sofa, curling his tail around him and handing the book over. He sniggered when Severus flicked through the first few pages and grimaced. "This is much more about the late Albus Dumbledore than I wanted to know, Potter."

"Well, if I have to be mentally scarred for life, so do you. It's at the back, the last ritual of the last chapter."

Skipping to the back of the book, Severus read the paragraph that preceded the description of the ritual three times before he marked the page and set the book down on the coffee table. "Harry… have you really thought this through? Do you understand what life would be like, living to my will?"

"A non-stop orgy of kinky sex and playing with ginger?"

As soon as he snapped his head up to reprimand the brunette, Severus saw the laughter in Harry's eyes, and shook his head. "Impertinent brat."

"And could you want me, impertinence and all, to be your brat forever?"

"Perhaps."

Harry preened and shuffled a little closer to Severus, sitting facing the older man with his legs folded underneath him. "I know it's probably a stupid idea, and would require a lot more research. But, if we don't find anything better, can't we at least consider it?"

"Well, what's good enough for Merlin is good enough for us. But for tonight, I believe you promised another DBD viewing."

Laughing, Harry stood up and crossed to the drawer he kept them in. "D _V_ D, Severus. And I have some really tame ones, a few Disney movies as well."

"Do Disney movies include illogical meetings between unnaturally muscular men?" 

"Nope."

Severus sneered. "Then I am not interested."

"But you are interested in the naked men?"

"In pointing out the implausibility of the plotlines, yes."

Harry pushed a DVD in and sniggered softly. "Yeah, that's exactly what you do." Crossing to where Severus was sat, Harry pressed play and winked devilishly. "You sit there and point out implausibility then."

Severus groaned as Harry sank to his knees.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As Harry slept peacefully, Severus sat in the comfortable window seat and watched Harry. In a way that it hadn't for years, Severus’ mind moved smoothly from son to mother, and he transferred his gaze to the stars outside. He couldn't help but wonder if Lily would see this as a betrayal. A betrayal of her, of her son, of the sacrifice she'd made.

But Severus did not feel that he was betraying her. Nor that he was betraying Harry. Severus felt something that he hadn't felt for many, many years. He felt contentment. And, as he watched the rise and fall of Harry's chest as he slept, Severus knew that a life lived by that man's side would be a content one. 

He also knew that Harry would not walk into anything lightly. Perhaps exploring this further _was_ the best option. As Harry shifted in his sleep, Severus rose from the window seat and crossed to the bed, sitting next to Harry and skating his fingers over the brunette's exposed chest. Trailing his stained fingers over Harry's coral pink nipple, Severus murmured appreciatively when the sensitive little nub tightened and peaked. Now this, this wonderful responsiveness, he could definitely keep close for the rest of his life, at his whim to touch and tease and teach. 

Pinching the taut skin gently, Severus rolled it between his fingers, his eyes skittering down the expanse of Harry's chest to where the bed sheet covered his groin. As Severus toyed gently with his nipples, Harry's body reacted subconsciously. Running his hand up Harry's body to his face, Severus stroked the brunette's cheek gently, the breath that caressed his lips the only tell he was vocalising, "I love you."


	15. Chapter Fifteen - Deep

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2000  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

Harry woke to warm sun caressing his bare chest, and he stretched languidly, propping up on his elbows and glancing around the room. A mug of coffee was on the side table waiting for him, and he smiled softly. When he wrapped his fingers around it and brought it to his mouth, he could smell Severus on the mug faintly, and Harry's body shivered as he remembered his dreams; touches and teases, a dark voice whispering words and declarations of love. 

Sipping at the coffee, Harry registered the shower running behind the closed bathroom door, and set his coffee on the side, climbing out of bed and shucking his pyjama bottoms carelessly. Feet slapping on the tiles, Harry entered the bathroom and crossed over to the shower, ducking under Severus' arms and resting his hands on his lover's pale, wiry chest. 

Eyes closed, Severus moved one hand from soaping his hair and ran it into Harry's hair, guiding their lips together in a brief kiss. "Do I not even get to shower in peace?"

Laughing, Harry waited for Severus to rinse the soap from his hair before he shook his head playfully, smiling when Severus' hands moved to his hips, pulling him flush against Severus' slick body. Feeling the slight stiffness in Severus' cock, Harry smiled, looking up at the other man through his damp fringe and cocking his head to the side. "You're getting hard!"

Severus chuckled at the statement, at the way Harry said it – surprise and joy in his tone – and nodded. "Well, naked and wet, you're quite a sight."

Preening at the praise, Harry licked his lips and reached his hands up to lace behind Severus' neck. "Can I touch you?"

Nodding, Severus groaned as Harry slid down his body, the brunette hitting his knees on the wet tiles as he mouthed Severus' abdomen gently. Bracing one hand against the wall, Severus hummed as the water slammed down on his back, running down his body in rivers as Harry's hands stroked his cock to full hardness. Gods, but he'd never seen anything as beautiful as this, as Harry knelt before him; expression focused and excited. 

Watching a bead of pre-come form at the tip of Severus' fully-fledged erection, Harry flicked his tongue out, lapping it up gently and pressing his tongue into the slit. He felt more than heard Severus' rumbling groan, and looked up as he carried on tonguing the slit, suckling the tip of Severus' cock and maintaining eye contact. 

From Severus' vantage point, Harry wasn't sucking his cock; he was kissing it, worshipping the turgid flesh with his sweet, sinful lips. And his eyes, displaying such absolute trust, were stealing Severus' soul with every second their gazes stayed locked. The way his back bowed as he braced his hands on the wall kept the water mostly off Harry, which made the droplet of water on his eyelashes all the more perfect. It was then that Severus noticed Harry's free hand – the one not squeezing his shaft so beautifully – inching toward his own cock. "Oh, no, you don't," he bit out gruffly, startling Harry into slipping forward on his cock a little, taking all of the head into his hot mouth. "You leave that be until I give you permission to touch."

The whimper reverberated around his cock, and as Harry's hand moved obediently back to Severus' hip, the younger man's eyelids fluttered closed, sooty lashes fanning against his cheeks. It was so easy to take control, felt so natural to slide one hand from the wall, lacing it through Harry's hair and guiding his head forward. He felt Harry gag as the back of his throat was bumped by the head of Severus' cock, but Severus didn’t let up the pressure. "Take it, Harry. All of it."

Severus could feel Harry working to relax his throat, and continued inching forward until he was holding Harry's face against his groin, and could feel the tight wetness of Harry's throat engulfing him. Severus' eyes threatened to cross, and he muttered praise to Harry, unsure of whether the brunette could hear it over the rush of water, but speaking it anyway. Guiding Harry's movements as Harry's fingers flexed against his hips, Severus pulled the younger man slowly off him, then repeated the process, his voice low and soothing as he encouraged Harry, "Good boy, you're doing so well."

It was too blissful to last, and as Severus felt his orgasm building, drawing his sac to his body, he locked his elbow to support his position, and drew Harry's head back slowly, letting just the head of his cock rest in Harry's mouth. The brat must have known, because his rough tongue lapped over Severus' exposed glans, and his teeth scraped lightly over Severus' foreskin, bringing him undone as Harry swallowed around him. 

Gasping for breath, Severus pulled Harry backward slowly, looking down the planes of his stomach to his erection, flushed and firm. Letting his eyes wander back up to Harry's face, Severus accepted the desperate plea in emerald eyes and nodded softly, lost in the moment and uncaring of the words his brain supplied so naturally to his lips. "Come for me, Pet."

Harry's eyes widened, his fingers clenching painfully around Severus' jutting hipbones as he came hard, cock twitching as his ejaculate raced from him.

When Harry smiled up at him, Severus offered his hands to help the brunette up, holding him as Harry flexed his legs and got his footing, before they left the shower. Watching Harry towel dry and dress, Severus wondered if the brunette had even heard him. 

The shy smile and blossoming bruises on his hips answered Severus in the affirmative.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry pouted as Severus set muesli and sliced fruits in front of him.

"What is it, brat?"

"I want frosties."

Summoning over the box, Severus glared at the ingredient list in disdain. "Luckily, I have no qualms about ignoring what you _want_ in favour of giving you what you _need_. Honestly, Harry, with your metabolism you need proper food, not this junk."

Pouting, Harry nevertheless picked up his spoon and began eating the muesli. When he caught Severus watching, Harry pulled a childish face, making the older man chuckle over his toast.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When he'd finished the washing up, Severus went in search of Harry, finding him sat on the bench outside. "Sulking over the frosties?"

Harry laughed, shifting his legs so Severus could sit next to him. "No. It's quite nice really, having someone look after me."

Reaching his arm around Harry's shoulders, Severus let his gaze wander over the stretching vine fields. "We all need someone to look after us."

"Even you? Or do you prefer looking after someone?" Severus looked at him in mild confusion, and Harry rumbled on before he could lose his post-orgasmic courage. "What you called me, was it just a name, or was it something more, like what a Dominant might say?"

Well, Severus mused, that was proof that the boy had truly belonged in Gryffindor, right there in the blunt, to-the-point question. Unsure of how to answer it without tainting the rest of the conversation, Severus turned the question back around on Harry. "Whatever it was, you reacted very well to it. Are you looking for me to qualify your reaction?"

Sighing, Harry slipped from Severus' arms and stood up, pacing the porch as he settled his words into order. Leaning against the banister, he faced Severus as he spoke. "I used to do what Ginny told me, and it felt good. Like, I was doing something right. But it felt alien to me as well. Like, I was pleasing half of myself, and the other half either didn’t care, or was angry because by pleasing her I was upsetting someone else. But when you tell me to do things, it doesn't feel… the pleased sense, it isn't fragmented. I feel pleased; me, Harry. Not the Sottomesso, and not the human. Just me. And I can't work out why that is; if it's just because it's you, or if it's because you're a man, or if it's because nothing you ask of me can have a negative effect on anyone else. Or if it's just because I like following orders."

Severus chuckled, getting a raised brow from the other man. "Forgive my laughter, but I never thought I'd hear you say you liked following orders, especially considering the few school rules that remain unbroken by you."

Sniggering, Harry pushed off the banister and moved back to sit with Severus, folding one leg underneath him and letting his tail swing slowly. "I guess. But back then, everyone expected me to be in control. And I didn’t know what I was doing. Especially when things got bad; when Voldemort was back and people were dying, I felt like every choice I made was the wrong one. And it doesn't matter what you say, Severus, because rationally I know it wasn't my fault. But I still hold the people that died as my responsibility. Towards the end, I was second-guessing myself. And when the war was over, I spent so many nights sat awake wondering what would have happened if I'd made a different choice. I think, even then, I was still leaning towards this Creature side of me. I like not having to be in control anymore. I know you'll listen to me if I need you too, so for the rest of the time I'm happy doing what you say, from the really stupid things like chores, to the… other stuff."

Reaching up, Severus ran the pad of his thumb over Harry's flushed cheek. "The other stuff?"

Shifting a little in his seat, Harry nodded. "Yeah. It just… it feels better. I can't really explain it. But it's like, like nothing else exists but you and me. And I want more like that."

Severus nodded; he could definitely identify with that. "Harry, you need to understand that there is a difference. If we perform the bonding ritual, you will be bound to my orders so that you cannot be harmed by someone else. The only orders I will give are those that are necessary – telling you to follow your heart, to do nothing that would put you in danger, and the like. What you're suggesting; I would actively order your life. What I said this morning, about ignoring your wants to serve your needs, is applicable in all circumstances. My word would be final, and there would be consequences for disobeying me. Do not think that these two things are linked – they aren't. You can have one without the other."

"Can't I have both?"

Severus chuckled, moving his hand from Harry's cheek to the back of his head, drawing Harry forward and kissing him softly. "Perhaps this is something we can explore."

Excited, Harry swung up onto his knees, tail wrapped around his waist. "Properly? But how? Like, will you train me, and do I have to be good all the time, and…"

Holding his hands up, Severus shook his head. "Too many questions. First off, I do not like the term training. I prefer to call it discovery. Second, you're jumping the gun. Do not rush blindly into this, however tempting it may be to your little Gryffindor heart. Third, Harry; your spark, your defiance, your fire, is part of what attracts me to you. Don't lose that because you think it's what I want."

Grinning, Harry cocked his head to the side. "So you want me to be naughty?"

"Did I say that?"

Standing up, Harry turned to the kitchen to go and put the coffee on. "It's okay; I know you just want an excuse to spank me senseless."

"If you lose any more sense, I think you can be legally declared dead."

Chuckling at the dry wit, Harry re-entered the house, his step lightened by the words that had gone between them. 

 

 

**Author's Note** \- Due to the fact it'll be Boxing Day (and I'll be very drunk *g*) there will be no update on Wednesday. Normal service will resume next Sunday, and I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas *hugs*


	16. Chapter Sixteen - I Love You

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2400  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

  
"Can you disobey me?"

The question startled Harry, and he opened his eyes, looking up from his position lay on the sofa with his head on Severus' thigh, meeting curious eyes as Severus held the book he'd been reading to the side. "Huh?"

Rolling his eyes at the term, Severus ran his fingers into Harry's hair, wrapping them tight and tipping Harry's head back slightly. "The words you are looking for, Mr. Potter, are 'pardon me'."

Unfortunately, having his hair played with had turned out to be a kink of Harry's, and he was too busy trying to tame his racing hormones – honestly, hormones at his age? He’d be ashamed if it didn't feel so good – to really worry about grammar and manners, so he just nodded. 

Knowing he'd get no more from the uncouth Gryffindor, Severus loosened his hold and focused his fingers on stroking Harry's soft hair, teasing the inky locks as he half-spoke, half-wondered aloud. "We've worked on the assumption that you're obedient in all circumstances. But what I know of Creature lore tells me they have very strong survival instincts, necessary, I suppose, to avoid being captured and displayed like meat by every dubious wizard."

Smirking, Harry pushed his head back against Severus' hand. "So you don't want to capture me? Put me on display?"

"That is entirely unrelated to your Creature status. Now, if you could put thoughts of sex out of your mind for five minutes?"

"What's in it for me?"

"Besides discovering something about your Creature side?"

Swinging into a sitting position, Harry slid one leg over Severus' lap, reaching his hands up behind Severus' neck and leaning in, brushing chaste kisses over the corners of Severus' mouth as he spoke. "I can do that on my own. What's in it for _me_ , to have this discussion with _you_?"

Smirking, Severus closed his book and swatted Harry on the arse with it, smiling at the playful indignation that glittered in green eyes. "I see time spent with me has improved your negotiating skills. Fine; put those filthy thoughts out of your mind to have this discussion, and I'll allow you to choose the position tonight."

Harry mulled that over for a moment before nodding, sliding his mouth to cover Severus' completely and waiting until he felt his lover give in to the kiss before pulling back and smiling. "Okay, let's talk."

"Insufferable tease."

Harry nodded, moving back off Severus to sit by his side. "I'm still not sure what you're asking me."

Turning a little to face Harry, Severus set his book on the coffee table and settled into the discussion, pushing his arousal out of his mind in favour of finding out more about Harry's Creature side. "Creatures, as I have studied them, have strong survival instincts. Sottomesso appear to be unique in their total submission, but I wonder if that is true completely, or if there's a line? Could you disobey a direct order if, for example, it threatened your life?"

Folding his legs, Harry rested his hands in the vee of his thighs and thought back over the times he'd disobeyed orders. "I don't know. I can, I mean; I have disobeyed orders before, or fought against them. But it hurts. So maybe it's kind of… if disobeying the order would hurt less than following the order, then I disobey it. I don't know; it isn’t really something I've had experience with."

Severus nodded absently, mulling over the words in his mind. It made sense, that an order could be disobeyed if the pain of following it would outweigh the pain of disobeying it. "And what if you receive orders that conflict? How does that feel?"

Knowing that Severus would explain better when he had his impressive mind wrapped around the topic, Harry shrugged and answered the question honestly. "I pick the one that best appeals to me, and follow that. Like the run in with that creep from the coffee shop. Your order and his order conflicted, so I chose the one that I liked and ran with it. And if I go against an order, but the person who gave it forgives me, then it stops hurting."

Smiling that the younger man could know him well enough to predict his next question, Severus reached out and cast a warming charm on his coffee cup. "How do you know that?"

"A fight with Ginny. She told me to get out of the house, and I fought against it, dunno why, but I did. Anyway, she calmed down pretty quickly, and apologised for what she'd said, told me she was glad I hadn't left. The pain faded after that."

"What kind of pain is it?"

"Gradual; it builds the longer I resist. I get a headache, feel sick… the longest I've lasted out, it felt like living under the Cruciatus."

Severus nodded, draining his mug and standing up. "Thank you, that makes sense. Do you feel up to eating out?"

Harry nodded, earning a smile as he took Severus' offered hand and stood up slowly, brushing against the other man as he moved past him to find his shoes.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They talked and laughed over good food and dry wine, eating outside to enjoy the warmth of the evening. The only hitch came when the server from the coffee shop walked by the restaurant, throwing Severus a filthy look, which made Harry laugh and lean across the table to kiss Severus' jaw reverently. When the bill was settled, Harry shook off his glamours and slipped his hand into Severus', lacing their fingers as they walked home slowly.

The sweet, companionable silence followed them all the way into the house, tension flittering through it as Harry locked and warded the doors. Resting his palms on the heavy wood, Harry whimpered as Severus pressed up behind him, aligning their bodies and whispering in his ear as his strong arms wrapped around Harry's body firmly. "Such a beautiful boy."

The praise was hot and sweet, pouring over Harry's senses like warm honey and blocking out everything but the sound of Severus' voice and the heat of his body. When Severus' arms loosened, Harry turned slowly in their embrace, keeping his eyes lowered until he was looking at the row of pearly white buttons on Severus' shirt. Reaching his fingers out, Harry popped them open, one by one, until the shirt hung open on Severus' shoulders. Trailing his hands slowly up Severus' chest, Harry flattened his palm over Severus' left pectoral muscle, feeling the beat of his heart steady and firm. Bringing his right hand higher still, to skitter around Severus' throat and to the back of his neck, Harry looked up slowly and met Severus' darkened eyes. 

When the brat's tongue flickered out, wetting his lips, Severus growled and ducked forward, capturing the pink muscle between his teeth. His nose pressed into Harry's cheek, and Severus bit down slowly, increasing the pressure until Harry shuddered and gasped, his mouth opening wider. Severus took the opportunity, releasing Harry's tongue from his teeth and plunging his own tongue into Harry's mouth. With one hand finding the solid door to brace against, Severus moved the other to the small of Harry's back, fingers splaying out over the curve of Harry's arse and pressing them together. As they kissed, Harry's fingers curled against Severus' chest, grappling at his skin to bring them closer together. 

Much as he wanted to back Harry up against the door, or bend him over the small table in the entrance hall, Severus remembered his promise, and he pulled out of the kiss with sharp nips to Harry's swollen lips. "I believe I promised you choice of position. Unless, of course, you wish to stay here, to be fucked against the door, rough and ready like the slut you are."

Harry whimpered, and the temptation to give in and just grapple to completion was overwhelming. But, he held strong, leaning back to meet Severus' eyes. "Bedroom, please."

"Lead the way."

Harry could feel Severus' eyes on him as he walked into the bedroom, and he turned around to subject himself to the hungry gaze as he stripped slowly, shedding his clothes to the floor and resisting the urge to touch himself as Severus did the same. Harry doubted he'd every fully understand why Severus was so attractive. The man was pale and wiry, and though his hair was losing the potions-fumes sheen, nothing else had changed. Except Harry's perception of him. 

Severus allowed himself to be studied for a moment, before he idly curled his fingers around his erection and stroked the length a few times. "This is what you had in mind?"

Shaking himself free, Harry smiled and advanced on Severus. Flattening his hands against the other man's chest and pushing him gently towards the bed, Harry detailed his current wank fantasy in a low purr. "Nope, I wanna ride you. Have you sprawled on your back while I bounce on your cock."

"Demanding little thing."

Harry nodded, laughing as Severus grabbed his wrists, pulling him flush into the other man and ducking his head down to lave and suck on Harry's neck, biting down just the way Harry liked, and pulling them down onto the bed. Severus manoeuvred to lie in the centre of the mattress as Harry lifted up off him, mouth moving as the brunette muttered stretching and lubrication charms. Severus had expected more foreplay, maybe even getting to watch as Harry fingered himself open. But the brunette bypassed all of that, grabbing Severus' cock and resting his other hand on Severus' chest to keep his balance as he sank into Severus' lap in one smooth motion, stealing all thought and sense from Severus' mind as he was engulfed by tight heat.

Falling still when he was snug against Severus' body, Harry tipped his head back, gasping for breath as he adjusted to the feeling of being so stretched and full. His fantasies had been right – this felt amazing. 

Severus watched Harry's Adam's apple bob up and down as the younger man swallowed rapidly. The stillness seemed to stretch on forever, and as Severus opened his mouth to call Harry's name, the brunette lifted up a little and sank back down, drawing groans from both of them. When Harry snapped his head forward, his eyes were a dark, murky green, and a mischievous smile played at his lips. Slowly, the brunette moved his legs to plant his feet firmly on the mattress by Severus' ribs. Leaning back to rest his hands on the mattress behind him, Harry heard the guttural moan and knew Severus' eyes were riveted on him. 

Without warning or preamble, Harry began to rise and fall on the prick inside of him, catching his prostate on every thrust, and speeding up as his courage and confidence grew. He cried out when long fingers rubbed over his stretched rim, one finally working past the tight ring to lie in his arse alongside the cock, making Harry's eyes cross as he cursed, "Fucking hell, Severus!" 

Smirking, Severus withdrew his finger carefully, watching the sight of his cock appearing and disappearing, swallowed up by Harry's body each time the brunette sank down on him. Severus trembled as the tip of Harry's tail pressed against the skin behind his sac, flicking over the sensitive area, even getting daring enough to slide into his cleft and stroke over his entrance. It pushed Severus to the edge, and he reached out to curl his fingers around Harry's cock, tugging firmly. 

After two, maybe three strokes, Harry's world imploded in sensation. He snapped forward, curling around himself and smacking his head onto Severus' chest as he came, feeling drops of warmth spatter his stomach and face as he doubled into the spray of his cock. He was barely aware of the words tumbling out of his mouth as his body convulsed with pleasure, "OhgodssogoodSevsogoodloveyou…"

The rhythmic clenching drew his own orgasm from him, and Severus flung his arm around Harry as he released into the brunette's welcoming heat. After what felt like an age, he began to come down slowly, his muscles relaxing against the bed as Harry rolled off him to sprawl on the bed, eyes closed and chest rising and falling with each rapid breath. Severus leaned over him, slowly lapping up the drops of white on Harry's chest and neck, cleaning his face last and losing himself in a kiss tainted with the younger man's seed. 

Eventually, even the kiss became too much exertion, and Severus fell to the side, spooning around Harry and closing his eyes as sleep overtook him. It was only later, when he woke up before the sun rose, that Severus' mind actually caught up with Harry's garbled words. The more he played them over in his head, the more he wondered if Harry had been aware of what he said, or if he had truly meant it. Curiosity got the better of him, and when Harry stirred a little later, Severus held him tighter and whispered against his ear, "Did you mean it?"

Blinking in the morning light, Harry's foggy mind tried to work out what Severus meant. When his mind did catch up, Harry tensed a little in Severus' arms, wondering exactly how to proceed from here. Knowing honesty had served him well so far, Harry thought on his words before he finally answered Severus. "Yeah, I did. And not just because… you know."

"You had an arseful of cock at the time?"

Spluttering at the crude words, Harry sniggered softly before he sobered up, answering that question with a soft tone. "No. I meant it; I love you."

Tightening his arms, Severus smiled indulgently. "And I you."

Harry smiled, burrowing back against Severus' embrace as he fought with tears. He couldn't stop them all, and one fell from his lashes, splashing on Severus' arm, where Harry's head lay, alerting the other man to Harry's emotions. 

"Harry? What is it?"

Shaking his head softly, Harry laughed as he spoke, "Ignore me, I'm just being a girl. I just… I didn’t ever think I'd hear that, being what I am."

Pressing a kiss to Harry's bare shoulder, Severus leant up to speak slowly and clearly. "Hear it, Harry. I love you."

 

 

**Author's Note** \- Again, no chapter on Wednesday I'm afraid. But normal service will resume on Sunday, and we'll go back to twice-a-week chapters *g*. Hope you all have a happy New Year! ♥


	17. Chapter Seventeen - Preparation

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2200  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

Harry finished his conversation with the vines, adding some final notes to the sheet of parchment, and turned to walk back to the house. Since their mutual declarations, Harry had used every spare moment to think about returning to England. He'd often pined for his home over the years, but never had the courage to go back. It was almost ironic that he was finding the courage to go back from a man he'd called a coward, and Harry shook his head at his own misperception as he hopped up the few steps leading onto the porch. He hadn't told Severus yet, but Harry had decided to sell the land instead of taking someone on to care for the vines while he was away. It wasn't that he was worried about when he'd be able to return, it was more that Harry worried that, if he had the option to return, he'd take it. With nothing to come back to, and Severus in England, Harry's only option was to attempt to rectify the damage he'd done and carve out a new life for himself back in Britain. 

Letting the door swing closed behind him, Harry crossed to the oak dresser, opening the drawer where he kept the important documents on the vineyard, and sliding the parchment in to be dealt with later. He wanted to tell Severus before he officially listed the vineyard, and decided to do that after dinner that night. His mind moved immediately to working out what they could eat for dinner, and Harry decided to go out to the market and buy some fresh fish, intent on making something spectacular. 

Grabbing his wand and his money bag, Harry headed down the hallway, bypassing their bedroom until he reached the study, finding Severus hunched over a book and scribbling notes on a long sheet of parchment. "Hey, I'm just going out to the market, is there anything you need?"

"Not to my knowledge, no."

Curiosity swelling, Harry stepped forward and leant over Severus shoulder, dodging the hand that swung back to swat him away. "What are you doing?"

Setting his quill on the book to mark the page should the book fall closed, Severus blinked his eyes rapidly and stretched the knots out of his back. "Studying this ritual, and working out the problems as I come across them."

All thoughts of food banished from his mind, Harry sat down on the chair next to Severus and looked at the notes, seeing various notes relating to him, and how the ritual would be worded to fit him. Though he opened his mouth, words didn't seem to be forthcoming, and for a few minutes Harry just sat with his mouth open, wondering what he should say. Finally bringing his lips back together, Harry took a deep breath before he looked up at Severus, questions in his eyes. "You're really considering it, then?"

The urge to do something uncouth and Hufflepuff-ish as a declaration of emotion washed over Severus, but he resisted it quietly. The more he'd thought about it, the harder it had become to reconcile himself with the thought that Harry might _not_ become a constant part of his life forevermore. But this was not something he would lead Harry into – it had to be the younger man's decision, because it was irreversible. Keeping his voice level, Severus nodded slowly. "If it is still what you want?"

"Yes."

The word came very quickly, and Severus chuckled softly. "Very speedy."

Blushing faintly, Harry mentally kicked himself for sounding quite so desperate, and letting Severus know it. But then again, Harry _was_ desperate, and it was a confusing position to be in; desperate to sign away his autonomy to a man he had despised for most of his youth. Shaking his head to banish the thoughts, Harry knew that was an oversimplification, a black and white viewing of something that was nothing but shades of grey. "Well, it feels right." 

"And you trust me?"

"Yes. You… you have had plenty of chances to hurt me over the years. Plenty of opportunities to cause me pain, or exploit what you knew about me. And you never did, not once. All you ever did was try to keep me alive, and pull me out of the scrapes I got myself into. If the only way to avoid obeying everyone is to obey just one person, then there's no one else I would want that one person to be but you."

The eloquence and depth of the words and the feelings they conveyed proved to Severus that Harry had thought about this, and was aware of what he was doing. It soothed his nerves, and Severus allowed himself to smile softly. 

"Can I look at your notes?"

It was his turn to flush slightly, and Severus shook his head, moving his hands to push the parchments under the top one more carefully. "No, they are not prepared yet."

Pouting, Harry batted his eyelashes and whined, "Severus, please?" The blush on his lover's face deepened, and Harry's curiosity was well and truly piqued. He kept whining and wheedling until Severus moved his hand to brush Harry off, giving Harry the opening he needed to dart forwards and grab the pile of parchment. Bolting to the other side of the table, Harry kept one eye on Severus as he leafed through the parchments. "These are just notes, what were you so worried about?"

Severus didn't need to answer that, almost as soon as Harry had finished speaking, his eyes had rested on the next sheet of parchment, and his mouth fell open in a gasp as his eyes widened. Steeling himself, Severus watched the colour rise in Harry's cheeks as his eyes moved across the page, reading Severus' notes quietly.

When he'd read the entire sheet, Harry set the pile of parchments down on the table and leant his hands on the back of the chair, staring at the parchments as he processed this new information. Looking up, Harry fixed his eyes on the second button from the top on Severus' shirt, studying the shiny black button as he organised his racing thoughts. "That… uhm… that wasn't the bonding ritual from the book."

Sighing, Severus mirrored Harry's position as he answered softly, "No, it wasn't."

"What… uhm… what exactly was that?"

Falling back on his brusque front without really thinking about it, Severus clicked his teeth in irritation as he answered, "You know full well what it was, Harry, or you wouldn't have reacted quite so badly."

Ignoring the incorrect appraisal of his reaction, Harry brought his gaze higher, to meet Severus' eyes. "I need to hear you say it."

Ordinarily, Severus would have objected to being drawn into such a game. But studying Harry's expression and stance, Severus doubted this was a game. This was Harry asking for validation, and Severus gave it as he spoke softly. "It was an alteration of the bonding ritual, to incorporate a sexual element; specifically, the element that we have been exploring recently – that of a Dominant and submissive relationship."

Harry nodded, moving the parchment to read over Severus' notes again. A smile curled over his face, and Harry looked back up at Severus with a question on his lips, "And you would want that? You're not just doing what you think I want or expect?"

"No, this is my own desire and fantasy as well. But Harry…" 

"The notes are too detailed to be an idle thought; this is something you've considered already."

"Yes, but that does not mean…"

"And it'd be easier to do two rituals in one, much more time-saving and practical."

Growling, Severus stepped around the table, curling his fingers around Harry's upper arms and pulling the brunette flush against him. " _Stop_ interrupting me, brat."

Smiling, Harry tipped his head in acknowledgement of his rudeness. "Sorry."

"Do not be. However, Harry, think. This does not mean we have to rush into anything, or even that our relationship must follow this course."

Waiting until he was sure Severus wasn't going to continue speaking, so he couldn't be told off for interrupting again, Harry nodded and leant back a little to better see Severus' face as he spoke. "I know it doesn't. But if it's what you want, and what I want, then it should. And since we seem to be revealing things, I should probably tell you that I'm selling the vineyard, and coming back to England. If you'll take me with you, that is."

Overwhelmed from what had been said, Severus shook his head a little, suspecting he looked like a stunned kneazle as he processed the various pieces of information. Nodding slowly, Severus cleared his throat before he spoke. "Yes, I will take you with me. As to bonding… be sure, Harry, that it is what you want. Because, once done, it will not be undone by anything but death."

Taking his time, Harry checked that there were no lingering doubts anywhere in his consciousness before he replied. "I'm sure."

"Then, when you have been to the market, you will take a bunch of sunflowers and a bottle of sweet wine to Señora Vidente, and ask for an audience with her for us, at a time that is convenient for her."

"Okay, but why?"

Stepping back, Severus gestured to the books as he answered, "Because the ritual needs the contribution of an officiator, and Señora Vidente is the best there is in the village to fulfil that role."  
Nodding, Harry leant up and pressed a kiss to Severus' lips before he turned and walked away, a smile on his face and a spring in his step.

"And Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Return with a large hand of ginger, and we'll see if you can't last out a little longer than last time."

Shivering, Harry's tail snapped and coiled happily as his cock immediately assumed the semi-hard position he knew it'd be in all day.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The fish and vegetables under a stasis charm and held tightly in a paper bag under his arm, Harry clutched the sweet wine in one hand as he rapped on the door to Señora Vidente's home with the other, stepping respectfully back off the front steps and holding the sunflowers out to the side. The door opened, and Harry smiled at the old woman, "Señora Vidente?"

"Sí. And you are?"

Noting her use of clear, if accented, English, Harry checked his vocabulary and spoke in English instead of the Spanish he had been preparing to use. "Harry Potter, Señora. I believe you have met my friend…"

"Yes, he and I have crossed paths before." Her eyes skittered over Harry's tail when it swished out from behind him, and she smiled widely. "I see he has realised the error of making assumptions on my words. Are you here on his bidding?"

Remembering the flowers, Harry held them out, the wine as well, and smiled when the old woman stepped back to allow him entrance into her home. Taking a seat, he saw the crystals and orbs, and felt a flush of panic; he did not like Seers, having had enough of them and their prophecies to last him many lifetimes over.

"You are very much suited; it was his first worry also. I have no desire to See, so please put it out of your mind. I assume you have a reason to be here?"

"Sí. We wish to request an audience with you, at a time convenient to you."

"To discuss your bonding."

It wasn't a question, and Harry started a little in surprise. "Severus phoned you?"

Gesturing to her home, Señora Vidente raised her brow, "Do you see a phone?"

Harry didn't, and he gaped at the old woman before he remembered his manners and shook himself out of his stunned reverie. "Yes, Señora, to discuss our bonding."

"And you don't think this is perhaps too soon, or too sudden, or too fast a change from the relationship you awoke to this morning?"

Seriously confused by how the old woman could know so much – Harry hadn't realised Seers were ever actually any good – Harry fell back on his manners, and answered her politely and honestly. "No, Señora, I don't. We've talked about it, abstractly and directly. I've said all I need to say, and I believe Severus has done the same. It seems foolish to put off something that I hope is inevitable, on the grounds of it being too soon. It feels right to us, and that is all that matters."

Smiling indulgently, the old woman stood up and set the sunflowers in a vase, placing them properly as she spoke. "A good answer, and one that shows this is more than a flight of passing fancy. I will arrive at your home tomorrow evening, and you may talk with me then, and also give me a tour of the grounds, so that I can get a feel of the magic in your home."

"Thank you, Señora. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow." Harry waved as he stepped out of the front door, walking swiftly down the driveway and onto the main road, the ginger in his pocket weighing heavily and rushing him home.


	18. Chapter Eighteen  Bonding

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~3600  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

Rolling his shoulders, Harry stood under the spray of the shower and let his mind wander. Tonight Señora Vidente would come to their home and discuss their impending bonding. No matter how much he tried, Harry couldn't quite wrap his mind around that idea. It seemed like only yesterday he'd been talking to Severus over coffee, hiding his Creature Heritage. And now, he was bonding with the man?

Before the fears could take a hold of his mind, Harry felt sure hands wind around his waist, pulling him back against a strong body as Severus' smooth, rippling voice sounded at his ear. "What is troubling you?"

"Nothing."

"So the tense muscles and defeated stance are figments of my imagination?"

Harry sighed; he'd never be able to lie again, Severus was far too good at reading him. Bringing his hands to his chest, he played with the shower spray, interrupting its flow and sending rivulets off in random directions. "This isn't too soon? You won't wake up in a few months and wonder what you've lumbered yourself with?" 

Tightening his arms around Harry, Severus pressed a kiss to Harry's shoulder, trailing licks and nips up to his ear while his fingers drew intricate patterns on Harry's stomach. "No, I won't. It has been almost ten months, Harry; this is not a whirlwind act, it is carefully thought-out and planned. It is what I want."

Tipping his head to the side, inviting more of the nibbles to his neck, Harry hummed softly, "s'What I want too. I should go into Madrid today, sort things out with the vineyard, and my bank account."

"Then I shall go over the ritual and check we have everything we will need."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry clutched the leather portfolio in his hands as he stepped out of the Bank Manager's office. The Madrid branch of Gringotts had always been exceedingly helpful and today was no different. The bank had agreed to buy the property off him, and sell it on, meaning Harry was not stuck paying for upkeep until a buyer was found. They'd also assured him that the transfer of his money and vault-contents to the vault in Britain would be quick and easy; all he had to do was give them a date. When he'd commented that it took almost a fortnight when he moved to Spain, the goblin laughed at him, informing Harry that _banking has changed in the past seven years_.

He'd been walking as he thought, and Harry found himself on the cusp of city, where Wizarding and Muggle life met. Glancing back at the Apparation point, Harry figured that a few hours couldn't hurt – he hadn't promised to be home at a specified time. Stepping into the Muggle city, Harry resolved to just have a quick look around the shops before he went home. Checking he had some Muggle cash, he stepped over the wards that kept Muggles remembering they hadn't turned off the kettle and turning back before they crossed into the Wizarding areas, and went shopping.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus hadn't heard the door open, so when a hand rested on his shoulder, Severus jolted upwards and banged his head on the roof of the potions cupboard. Cursing profusely, Severus withdrew from the cupboard and straightened up, rubbing his head as he turned to glare at his snickering lover. "You think this is _funny_?"

Pressing his lips together in a thin line to stifle his laughter, Harry shook his head and tried to look innocent. Severus' expression told him the older man was having none of it, and Harry took a few steps back as Severus advanced on him, mistakenly turning left instead of right and ending up cornered. Severus loomed over him, and Harry groaned as Severus trailed a finger down his chest, a dark promise in the firm touch. Before he became totally lost in the moment, Harry forced his eyes up and his brain into some kind of linear order. "I bought some things."

"Oh, really?" Severus drawled, far too interested in working out how he could punish Harry for laughing at him than what the brunette had bought. "Then you can show me later."

Wriggling, Harry felt familiar heat pooling in his belly, and his breath seemed to be coming in short gasps. Damn Severus for being able to affect him this much, with only the covert promise of things to come. "No… Sev'rus…you'll like them. Can use them on me."

That piqued his interest, and Severus moved Harry's hands above his head, pinning them with one of his own and letting the other hand run teasingly over Harry's ribs. "Hmmm… whatever could they be?" Severus mused, leaning down to expel hot breath over Harry's nipple, watching the material of his tee shirt stretch around the hardening nub.

"I'll show you."

Releasing Harry, Severus stepped back and gestured to the door, following Harry down the hall to their room and noting the slight disruption to his walk, evidence of his arousal. Severus smirked and wondered how much fun they could have before Señora Vidente arrived. Stepping into their room, he considered the bed with a discerning eye. Stepping forward, Severus picked up the whip and pulled it through his hands, eyebrows raised in Harry's direction.

Blushing, Harry looked away. "Okay, so I got a little carried away."

"Not at all. Displayed well, I see this being a very good deterrent to your bad behaviour."

Harry shivered. "You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I? I can't think of anything quite as beautiful as a perfectly straight welt transecting those strong thighs."

"O-kay, so that's being returned tomorrow!"

Severus laughed, tossing the leather to the pillows and resuming his perusal of the horde Harry had purchased. There was a definite theme present, and Severus also spotted a few new DBD things. One item, however, was catching his attention over and over, and Severus picked it up carefully. Reading the back of the pack, Severus smirked, and turned to face Harry. "Drop your trousers, and bend over the dresser."

Swallowing thickly, Harry followed the order to the letter, smirking a little as Severus groaned, and yelped when the other man slapped his still boxer-clad arse. The cotton was pushed down to his ankles, and Harry whimpered as Severus pushed two slick fingers into him. His lover flexed for a few moments, then Harry felt something harder being pushed into him.

When the plug was in place, Severus Summoned a towel and wiped his hands clean, before directing Harry to pull his trousers back up. As Harry turned to face him, Severus flicked the button on the remote to the highest setting, smirking as Harry yelped and jolted forwards. Turning the vibrating plug off, Severus drawled, "Oh, yes, I'll have fun with this."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This was, Severus mused, one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. Harry's hands clenched the arms of the cream leather sofa, his tail draped over his arm and flicking in the air. His head was tossed back, his legs spread wide, and his hips thrusting frantically up and down as Severus kept the dial on the remote turned up high.

Before now, he'd taken Harry right to the edge then turned the vibrating plug off, leaving Harry hanging and pretending not to hear the whines and colourful epitaphs thrown at him. But in less than an hour, Señora Vidente would be upon them, and Severus had no doubt the Seer would spot Harry's discomfort in an instant. So, when he saw Harry's muscles trembling and tensing he kept the dial turned up, all his senses attuned to Harry as the younger man came hard.

Severus didn't have to say a word – when Harry's head snapped forward his eyes were cloudy, and Severus flicked the remote off as Harry slid out of the chair and crawled across the carpet, rising up to pop open the buttons holding Severus' clothes together. Harry's fingers had just slipped into his trousers, warm and steady against his prick, when the doorbell rang. 

Both men cursed, and Harry focused his magic, feeling outwards and meeting a well of magic on his doorstep. "Fucking hell, she's here!"

That knowledge quelled Severus' arousal instantly, and he tucked himself back in as Harry muttered a cleaning charm and smoothed his clothes and hair down before going to answer the door. Severus checked his own state in the mirror above the fireplace, and stepped into the hallway just in time to take Señora Vidente's cloak. "Señora, how are you?"

The old woman smiled at him, and Severus swallowed thickly as he realised she knew. 

"Most agreeable, though you will have to excuse my earliness. Now, let us begin. Where would you hold the ceremony?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Waving Señora Vidente off, Harry closed the door and leant back against it, closing his eyes and groaning quietly. "Gods, she was hard work! All those innuendos, I thought I was going to choke on my tongue! And since when did a bonding ceremony have to be conducted naked?"

"Since the Witch presiding over it turns out to be a voyeuristic old coot."

Harry sniggered and rested his hands on Severus' hips, drawing the other man forward and looking up through his eyelashes. "Well, I wouldn't mind it. You'd look good in the moonlight."

"You'd be too busy ogling me to remember your words."

Harry shrugged – he wasn't about to refute that point – and moved one hand from Severus' hip to the front of his trousers, stroking softly. "We were interrupted before."

Severus grunted, pushing his hips forwards into Harry's hand and murmuring when he felt his buttons being popped open. "Yes, we were, brat, but we will not be resuming it in the hallway. Get to bed."

Watching Harry slink off, Severus waited a few moments before fishing the remote from his pocket and flicking the dial up.

"Sev'rus!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus woke early and was intent on going back to sleep until he realised he was alone in the bed, and Harry was sat on the window seat looking up at the sky. Sitting up in bed, Severus looked out of the window, seeing the moon as Harry turned to him and spoke softly. "It'll be full in a few days."

"We can wait for the next full moon if you prefer?"

Shaking his head, Harry stood up and walked back to the bed, climbing in next to Severus and stretching out on his back. "No. If we wait, then you'll have to go back to work almost immediately when we get back to England. I'd… I'd like you with me, when I start rebuilding my bridges. If you don't mind?"

"Of course I don't. Have you told the bank a date to move?"

"Nope, I said I'd get back to them."

Pulling Harry into his arms, Severus set up a steady rhythm with his fingers stroking up and down Harry's spine. "Then, how about in a fortnight? That gives us a little over a week to adjust to the bonding, and then almost three weeks back in England before I must return to work."

"Do you think three weeks will be enough?"

Severus sighed and flattened his palm against Harry's back. "Those who love you will eventually see sense, and those who don't are not worthy of your friendship. But you will not be alone in this."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The days seemed to alternate between racing by and dragging so slowly Harry could swear the clock hands didn’t move for hours on end. And his emotions ranged through the full spectrum, moving smoothly from anticipation to fear, and leaving Harry no time to catch up or comprehend them. The ritual was simple enough – Severus had no patience for the frills added on by _'shallow, vicarious Witches'_ , he'd spat with emphasis – and Harry wasn't fussed either. All he really cared about was remembering his responses well enough to answer whatever Severus asked of him in a way that would appease the old magic that ran through this ritual.

Feeling Severus climb into the bed behind him, Harry pushed back into welcoming arms, and chewed his lip softly. "And you're really sure?"

"Completely."

"Good."

Severus smiled at the brief words, and pressed a kiss to messy black hair. Of all the things he'd expected to come home with after his year's sabbatical, a lover and a sub had not been one of them.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus considered his handiwork carefully, the five smooth stones marking the five points of a pentagram, and the salt running between them perfect and intact. Old magic was unpredictable, and Severus was not taking any chances that Darkness would get into the ritual, hence the pentagram and salt. Standing back, he smoothed his crisp white dress shirt, and checked that no dirt had settled on his black trousers. The ritual called for no specific dress, but Severus felt that formal clothes would not be out of place, considering the importance of what was being done.

The words and the ritual were spoken and performed by him and Harry, but there was an observer required to ensure both parties came willingly. That was where Señora Vidente came in, and Severus heard her accented English as she walked out of the house with Harry. Severus let his approving eyes run over Harry; the brunette was also in smart black trousers and a white dress shirt. He looked stunning, and Severus smiled softly at him as he led Señora Vidente to the chair they'd brought out for her. 

Severus stood at the top point of the pentagram, and Harry moved to stand between the two bottom points, tail swishing behind him nervously. Taking a deep breath, Severus focused his mind on what was to come, and stepped over the boundaries, feeling the magic run through him. "I enter into this of my own accord."

When Severus wasn't flung backwards, Harry relaxed visibly. If the magic had decided that Severus' intentions were true, then Harry knew nothing would stop this now. Stepping forward himself, he spoke clearly in the warm night air. "I enter into this of my own accord."

Neither man had been flung backwards, so Señora Vidente's work was done, but she saw no reason to leave – there hadn't been a soul-bonding in the village in decades, and she liked to watch them. Settling in, she focused her attention back on the two men, smiling a little at the charmed quill and parchment that were set to record every word passed tonight. 

Though he had his wand on him, he knew it wasn't needed, so Severus held his left hand out, palm up, and began the ritual. "I call upon the elements, the gods, the magic in the air, and any and all others who wish to witness and bless the binding that approaches." The wind picked up slightly, and Severus could smell an increase of ozone; magic was taking notice of them. "To accept you fully as my Mate, my Charge, the one who I will protect with my life, I make three requests, three absolutes which must be followed at all times. First; you may follow no order that you know will conflict with my wishes, or that you believe would conflict with my wishes, knowing as you do my temperament and character."

Harry nodded, shifting his weight a little and flexing his fingers – it wasn't yet time to take Severus' hand. "I accept this first absolute. I will never knowingly go against your wishes. Instead, I will seek you out to absolve the consequences and rectify the situation."

"Second; you must act upon your own heart. I will do my best by you, but I am Man, and therefore fallible. I make mistakes, and I trust you to stand against them, not subject yourself to them." 

"I accept this second absolute. I will always act upon my own heart, safe in the knowledge it runs in synch with yours."

Severus smiled softly; already able to feel the magic thrumming around them, champing at the bit to enter and consummate what was almost completed. "Third; you must trust in yourself, and in me. There is no problem that can defeat us when we stand together, and many that will defeat us if either turns away. I accept you as my Mate, and will keep no problem from you. Thus, I expect this in return."

Harry wondered if it was normally to be kind of turned on by the words and the magic in the air, and he filed it away to be asked about later. "I accept this third absolute. I will come to you with any problem, and hide nothing from you, knowing that together we can overcome all."

His fingers flexing slightly, Severus swallowed thickly before he continued speaking. "The absolutes are designed to keep you safe, and are spoken in your favour. You have accepted them, and the final barrier is that of secrets. Knowing that magic can see all, is there anything you wish to tell me?"

Harry took his time. There were a million things he'd never told Severus, but they weren't secrets. At least, he hoped they weren't. Magic was fickle, and Harry mentally crossed his fingers as he gave the only answer he really had to that question. "That I love you." He wasn't thrown out, so Harry surmised he was okay on not having told Severus every inconsequential aspect of his life yet. Looking up, he could have sworn he saw a sheen to Severus eyes.

"And I you. Take my hand and seal this bond, that we will walk this mortal path together, breaking only for the time it takes us both to reach the immortal path, where we may resume our journey together."

Slowly, Harry lifted his left hand, turning it palm down and moving it above Severus'. For a moment he studied the potion-stained digits, before resting his palm against Severus' and clasping his fingers around the strong palm. Severus' fingers closed around his, and Harry watched as something silvery and undulating, like memories taken from a mind, or the material of a Patronus, slipped out from between their joint palms, twirling around their linked hands and up their arms before fading into their skin. 

One ritual done, Harry knew the next hinged on him. Severus had told him that nothing bad would result from Harry leaving the pentagram now, and saving the second bonding until later, and that the choice had to be Harry's, the initiative taken by him. But Harry was focused on carrying on, and he dropped gracefully to his knees, keeping their hands linked. "As well as my soul, I offer you tonight my body and mind, to follow your words and act in accordance with your wishes, whatever they may be. I come to you, a Dominant, offering myself as a submissive, to be taught and guided, to learn about myself through our relationship and to serve your needs to the highest of my abilities." 

As uncouth and Hufflepuff-ish as it was, Severus' heart skipped a beat at the sight of Harry, proud and strong and on his knees before Severus. Suddenly, the idea to do this in clothes seemed ridiculous, and it was only the presence of Señora Vidente that kept Severus in check and remembering that there was a reason they weren't naked. "Through my actions and through my words, I will lead and guide you. I will broaden your mind to new horizons, and allow you to do the same for me. I will show your body pleasure where earned, worshipping your skin and cherishing the gift you give to me in your submission. I will show your body pain where deserved, punishing for indiscretions but never giving more than is fair, or beyond your hard limits. I accept that you will make mistakes, and I will forgive you for them then as now. I ask that you understand your submission will not be confined to one area of our life, but will be a thread that runs through all. Nor will it equate to losing the fire that lights your eyes. Do you understand these words?"

The slight pressure in his knees seemed perversely linked to his cock, and Harry hoped a semi wouldn't detrimentally affect the ritual. Still, as nothing bad had happened yet, he assumed he was in the clear, and squeezed his hand a little tighter around Severus, his other arm folded neatly behind his back. "I understand them, and accept their consequences." 

Bringing his right hand around, Severus cupped Harry's chin, losing himself in green eyes and allowing a smile to curve his lips as he sealed their fates. "I gladly accept what you have offered to me tonight."

Again, the strange smoke slid out from between their joined palms, but this time it was a deep red, winding around their joined hands and up their arms. Though he couldn't see it, Harry could feel similar smoke curving down his throat and around his neck, from where Severus' warm palm cupped his chin. 

When the smoke faded, a gust of wind swept around them, scattering the sand and breaking the pentagram, signalling the end of the ritual. Helping Harry up, Severus looked to the side and saw Señora Vidente smiling as she got up and began walking back towards the house. Trusting she'd find her own way out, Severus pulled Harry close to him, feeling the other wizard thrumming with magic and knowing the same effects were present in him. Running his hands through thick black hair, Severus sealed their lips together, allowing passion and devotion to run through the kiss as they stood in the pale moonlight and swayed gently together.


	19. Chapter Nineteen  Consummation

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2100  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

 

Harry's wand clattered to the floor, the wards hastily set and his interest much more focused on his new bond-mate. Severus seemed to have about eight more hands than normal, and Harry whimpered as he was touched and teased all over. "Sev'rus, Sev'rus, please… please…"

Wanting to do everything and anything to Harry, Severus settled on the most pressing need; the need to consummate the bond. He wanted to fuck; basic and primal, and Severus pulled away from the kiss with a sharp nip to Harry's bottom lip. "Bedroom, now."

They stumbled down the hallway, Severus regularly losing patience and having to back Harry against the wall, ravishing his lips and rolling their hips together in a crude mockery of what was to come. Just outside the bedroom, when they were pulling at fastenings to clothes, Severus couldn't resist pushing at Harry's shoulders, guiding the younger man to his knees and grunting when Harry pushed his trousers open and took Severus' cock in his mouth. Incapable of more than monosyllables, Severus pushed Harry's head back roughly. "Clothes off bed now."

Giving one last, hard suck to the swollen glans of Severus' cock, Harry pulled back and stood up, pulling his clothes off and climbing onto the bed. He spread out on his back, whimpering as Severus settled between his legs and bent down to nip at the skin of his sac, sending tendrils of pain through him that only served to arouse Harry further. Before Harry could begin pleading, Severus had ducked his head lower, and Harry cried out as his lover's hot, rough tongue lapped firmly over his entrance. He had to clutch at the headboard to anchor himself and stop his writhing from tossing him free of the wicked tongue working wonders on his spasming arse.

Severus knew it was just sentiment, but he could swear Harry tasted sweeter tonight, and no amount of contact seemed to be enough as Severus forced his tongue into Harry, listening to the cries and moans as he lapped and sucked the sensitive flesh. Holding Harry open with his thumbs, Severus massaged his fingers over Harry's perineum, listening to the cries move up a notch until they cracked, and Harry's arse clenched around his tongue as the brunette cried out in pleasure. 

Wiping his face carelessly on his arm, Severus rose up and scooped the thick white semen from Harry's belly, stroking it over his aching shaft before he positioned himself at Harry's entrance, sliding into the loosened muscle and fixing his hands on Harry's hips to steady his thrusts. Severus was so close; Harry was still riding the waves of his orgasm, prolonged by Severus' rough thrusts, when Severus came himself, emptying into Harry and catching his weight on his elbow before he landed on Harry and crushed him.

Though it meant pulling his softening dick from Harry with a wet pop, Severus rolled to the side and tucked Harry tightly into his side, kissing the brunette firmly until the taste of musk was gone from their lips. "Sleep, my Harry."

Nodding, Harry pressed one last kiss to Severus' jaw, closing his eyes and letting his mind drift to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry woke alone, but the footsteps he could hear approaching the bedroom told him he wouldn’t be alone much longer. As he sat up in the bed, he became aware of the throbbing morning wood between his thighs.

Setting the breakfast tray on the bed, Severus climbed in to sit next to Harry, and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. "Sleep well?"

"Yes. What's all this?"

"Breakfast. You need to keep your strength up."

Harry smirked and reached for a finger of toast, stuffing it in his mouth whole and speaking around it. "But why in bed?"

Leaning forward to whisper darkly in Harry's ear, Severus answered, "Because you are not leaving this bed for the foreseeable future."

Swallowing rapidly, Harry groaned and pushed the covers down, exposing himself to Severus' gaze and whimpering when long fingers curled around his shaft. "Is it… normal to be so… turned on after the ritual?"

Stroking slowly, Severus licked the shell of Harry's ear, "Oh yes, and I will see to it that you are fully sated. But first, you eat. Clear half the plate, and I will suck your pretty cock dry."

Thrusting his hips gently into the hold of Severus fingers, Harry tipped his head to the side, exposing his neck as Severus' lips moved down slightly. "And if I… if I eat all of it?"

"Then I'll allow you to suck mine."

Harry grunted, and carried on thrusting his hips. "I can't eat if you're doing that!"

Pulling his hand away, Severus nodded and climbed out of the bed. "Then eat while I shower."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry groaned as he walked into the kitchen; his entire body ached and tingled, bite marks and scratches playing testament to the two days and three nights since their bonding ritual. His aches and pains were forgotten, however, when he spied the food on the table, and he slunk up to wrap his arms around Severus' waist and press tight against his back. "You've been busy."

"You've been neglecting your stomach."

"Other organs needed the attention more."

Severus chuckled and shrugged out of Harry's grip, turning to drop a kiss on a stubbly cheek, and directed Harry to the table. "Well, with other organs sated, you're free to eat now."

Not one to complain, Harry settled at the table, and they ate in companionable silence, interrupted as they were clearing the plates by a large owl tapping on the window. Harry dried his hands on the tea towel and opened the window, accepting the scroll from the owl and slitting the Gringott's seal. 

"Something important?"

"Notification that they received my letter, and my account will be transferred to the UK next Friday. This is really happening."

Severus nodded, casting the final cleaning charm and sliding the plate into the cupboard. When he turned around, Harry was smiling wistfully out of the window at the vines, and Severus returned the expression when it was turned to him. "Yes, it's really happening."

"We'd better start packing."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Between setting their affairs in order, and breaking for regular kisses, touches, and substantially more, Harry and Severus were still putting the final books and ornaments in boxes the night before they were due to leave. Harry had decided to leave a lot of the furniture at the house – it had got him a higher price off the Goblins, and it meant less to carry with them.

Sinking onto the sofa, he watched as Severus shrunk the last box down, putting it with all the other shrunken boxes. When Severus sat next to him, Harry chuckled softly. "My entire life, shrunk down to fit into a twelve by twenty inch travel case."

"Mine too, brat."

"Ours."

Severus nodded and slung his arm around Harry's shoulder, allowing the younger man to snuggle up against him while they looked at the travel case. "Harry, you don't have to sell this house."

"Yeah, I do. If I have something to come back to, I might run away again. Besides, it won't feel like home if you're not here too."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Even though Harry had begged, pleaded, and frotted like a shameless slut, Severus had insisted that they spend their last night in the house sleeping, to prepare for the long journey the next day. Which made it all the more sweet when, as he was talking to his vines and saying his goodbyes, a blindfold was slipped over his eyes and his hands were tied roughly to the trellis support with thick twine.

Pulling on Harry's hips, Severus nudged the brunette's legs apart and ripped his light trousers and shirt roughly from his body. Running one hand under Harry's body, Severus found his lover's cock almost fully erect, and he smiled as he landed a stinging slap on Harry's arse. "Trust me."

Harry's skin gleamed under the sunlight, and Severus was transfixed as he muttered lubrication spells, holding Harry open and sliding his aching cock into tight heat. Severus held Harry's hips firmly as he thrust, moving Harry with him and mindful of the vulnerability of Harry's position. Severus felt the clenching of Harry's orgasm and kept thrusting through it as his own pleasure grew and peaked, flowing out of him and into Harry's willing body. 

Pulling out, Severus guided Harry down to his knees, whispering in his ear, "I'll be back," and casting a silent sun screen spell as he turned and left.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Leaving Harry only long enough to collect the last few things to be packed, Severus went back outside fifteen minutes later, and unbound Harry carefully, mending his clothes with a few spells, and casting a cleaning charm for good measure. When he took the blindfold off, Harry's pupils were blown, and he blinked rapidly to adjust to the light. "I couldn't let us leave without fulfilling that particular fantasy."

Harry gurgled, leaning up to press a firm kiss to Severus' lips. "I love you."

"And I you. Now redress, or we'll miss our connecting Port-Key."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They seemed to have been Apparating, Port-Keying, and Flooing forever, but Harry knew in reality it was only a few hours. Nevertheless, when they reached Calais, he was tired and hungry. He smiled in thanks as Severus headed to a vendor, bringing back fruit, cheese, and bread for Harry. "Are we nearly home?"

"The ferry ride to Dover, and then a final Apparation, and the short walk to my home. You should sleep on the ferry."

"You'll be lonely."

"I'll read; you look like you could use an hour or two."

Though he'd been adamant about staying awake, Harry had fallen asleep within minutes of the ferry leaving port. And, though he'd been adamant that he would read, Severus found himself watching Harry as he slept; wondering what would await them when they returned to British soil, both of them so changed. Shaking Harry awake as the ferry docked, Severus led the younger man to the Apparation point, taking him Side-Along to the end of the road Severus lived on. They walked in silence to the door of the small apartment building, and Severus turned to raise a brow at Harry when the brunette quipped, "Going to carry me over the threshold?"

"Not unless you want some sense banged into your head on the doorframe?"

"Maybe I'll walk myself."

Smiling, Severus waved his wand and undid the various locking charms he knew were in place on the main doors. The apartment building was wizard-inhabited, so keys were kept only for appearances. Heading up to the second floor, Severus flinched at the shame that curled through him at the peeling paint and rising damp in the walls. This home had been perfect in the years when he had no one to bring here but himself. But now, Severus wondered what Harry would think about it. 

Lifting the wards on his front door, Severus pushed the door open and stepped to the side, allowing Harry to enter. The other man seemed too light, too pure, for the dingy apartment Severus inhabited, and Severus couldn't help but wonder after the expression on Harry's face, hidden as it was with the brunette being turned away from him.

The apartment was nice enough, but Harry didn't really care. Unable to stop himself, he walked over to the tall, slim, black leather wingback chair, and ran his hand reverentially over the back. "They have these in the Slytherin Common Room."

"Yes, they do. Why?"

Ignoring the question, Harry walked around the chair, transfixed by the possibilities afforded him from the unintentionally kinky furniture. "How do you feel about role play?" 

"Pardon me?"

Eyes darkened, Harry turned back to face Severus and grinned his lopsided grin. "You as the strict teacher and me as the naughty, naughty student."

Suddenly seeing his favourite chair in a new light, Severus smirked and crossed over to Harry, pulling his lover into his arms and kissing him soundly. If Harry was thinking about sex, he was comfortable here. "Perhaps tomorrow, brat. Tonight, it is time for bed."

Nodding, Harry followed Severus into the bedroom, stripping to his boxers and climbing between the sheets. They lay together in companionable silence, Severus tracing his fingers up and down Harry's spine as Harry got used to the scents and sounds of a new home. 

"Will you help me sort everything out tomorrow?"

Severus nodded, stroking Harry's hair to the side and meeting his eyes softly. "It does not have to be tomorrow if you are not ready, and yes, I will help you as much or as little as you ask me to. Sleep now, this can be talked over in the morning."


	20. Chapter Twenty  The First Step

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2700  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

They ate a simple breakfast, Harry glancing between the window and the wingback chair, and Severus running through the post he had received which needed his attention. Finishing his coffee, Severus set the pile of parchment to the side and cleared his throat to gain Harry's attention. "What would you like to do today?"

In a seamless jump, Harry vocalised the train of thought that had been running his mind as he ate. "I can't just show up, because it will cause havoc. And I can't write, because it's too impersonal. I can't go outside, because if I get seen and it hits the papers, they'll find out that way, which is even worse. I don't know what to do for the best, Severus."

Standing, Severus offered his hand to Harry, leading the brunette over to the small sofa and settling them comfortably on it. "What does your heart tell you?"

"That I shouldn't have left, and shouldn't have come back. I need an in, a way to break it gently. They're all going to hate me, Severus!"

The pain in the words was heartbreaking, and Severus pressed firm kisses to messy hair as he held Harry tightly, swinging the brunette's legs over his own and holding him closer. "No, Harry, they won’t. They may be angry, and hurt and upset. But they will come around, and they will see reason. You don't have to do this all in one go."

Harry nodded, fingers playing with pearl buttons as he thought aloud. "But who? Once upon a time I'd have said Ginny, but that's out of the question. Hermione and Ron… they just won't take it well. Hermione'll shout and Ron'll swear. Molly's temper's always been fierce, and I abandoned her daughter, Severus; she won't see past that. Maybe Arthur, but how would I even get to him? I can't go to the Burrow, and I can't go into the Ministry."

Musing on the problem as his fingers skittered up and down Harry's back, Severus asked, "What if I asked him here? I realise it is not quite home ground, but it is close. I can be here, or in the bedroom with a Silencing charm up, if you would rather a private discussion?"

Pulling back a little, Harry looked at Severus in awe. "You'd do that? For me?"

"Of all the Weasleys, I have never had reason to actively avoid Arthur, and if I must have one in my home, I'd rather it him than his harridan of a wife."

"Severus!"

Nodding his head in apology at the throwaway comment, Severus answered the earlier question, "If it's Arthur you want to talk with, I can arrange a meeting. But Harry, this is your choice. I will not take the lead in this; it has to be your own choice."

"But you'll be with me?"

"Every step of the way."

Harry sighed, and rested his head back against Severus' chest. "Okay then, let's start with Arthur. When should I do it?"

"Whenever feels right."

"As soon as."

Nodding, Severus moved his hand and tipped Harry's chin up, kissing the brunette deeply. Drawing back from the sweet dance, Severus stroked his nose over Harry's cheek, earning a laugh from the other that went some way to calming both of their nerves. "I need to take some documentation into the Ministry, to enable me to resume working at St. Mungo's. I'll see Arthur while I'm there."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

His forms successfully handed in; Severus rode the elevator to the second floor. After the war, when Kingsley had been voted in and the Ministry had been reshuffled, a branch had been developed for liaison with Muggles, and generally to promote education on Muggles throughout the Wizarding world. Unsurprisingly, Arthur had been offered, and had gladly accepted, the role of Head of Department.

Rapping his knuckles on the glass door, Severus stepped inside the office when Arthur looked up and smiled at him. 

"Hallo Severus, enjoyed your sabbatical?"

"Very much so, thank you. And how are you?"

Arthur gestured to the piles of paperwork, scattered through mounds of batteries, fuses, and something that Severus recognised as powering the DBD thing. "Kept busy, by the Boss and the Minister."

Smiling tightly at the bad pun, Severus cleared his throat and stepped closer to the desk, keeping his voice low so that no nosey passers-by overheard. "I'm here to request your presence at my home, at some point in the near future."

"Having a party?"

"No. I…" Stalling a little, Severus closed his mouth so as not to look gormless, and sat down in the chair opposite Arthur. "On my travels, I happened upon Harry Potter."

Arthur's face displayed a sequence of emotions, and ended on one that surprised Severus; comprehension. "Is he all right?"

"Yes and no. He is back in England and wishes to put minds at ease. However, I'm sure you can appreciate the magnitude of that task, and thus the daunting prospect it makes." Severus paused, letting Arthur nod his understanding so far before he continued, "Harry would like to speak with you first, and then to everyone else. Would you be willing to speak with him?"

Waving his arm, Arthur attracted the attention of his secretary.

"Yes, Arthur?"

"I'll need to attend a meeting outside of the Ministry tomorrow at, ten a.m.?" Arthur looked to Severus for confirmation, repeating himself when the other man nodded agreement. "Yes, ten a.m. Can you field owls for me tomorrow?"

The woman nodded and left, and Arthur returned his attention to Severus. "Until I've spoken to him, I will keep this between us. But I won't lie to my family; we grieved him."

Standing up, Severus offered his hand solemnly. "That is more than we can ask."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry had been pacing the living room ever since Severus had relayed his conversation with Arthur, but the brunette was either unable or unwilling to share his thoughts with Severus. Severus suspected the former; whenever he asked Harry would gesture and move his mouth up and down, but seemed unable to articulate his thoughts. Knowing Harry was serving no purpose but working himself up, Severus stepped into their bedroom and rifled through the still-shrunk boxes, finding the one he wanted and restoring it to its rightful size.

Getting what he needed, Severus returned to the room and made sure his tone left no room for disobeying. "Still."

Harry stopped pacing, turning to Severus and eying the restraints warily. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry; you aren’t being punished. But you need to calm down. Shirt and socks off, but you can keep the jeans if you so wish."

Harry abided by the words, knowing somehow that this was for his own good. Severus guided him into place in front of the faux-fireplace, and moved Harry gently to his knees. Cuffs slid gently but firmly around his wrists and ankles, and all were locked into the same d-ring. Severus pressed soft kisses to his closed eyelids, and Harry felt soft material slipping into place over his eyes as Severus whispered, "Just calm down."

No longer able to pace, and safe in blissful blackness, Harry felt his heart rate slowing, his mind letting the racing thoughts that had been plaguing him drift away. He listened to Severus' breathing, matching his own to the steady _in and out, in and out_.

Watching carefully, Severus waited until the tension was gone from lean muscles. Then and only then did he move back to his knees beside Harry, unhooking the rings but leaving the cuffs in place for now. After removing the blindfold, holding Harry's head steady while blown pupils contracted back to normal size, Severus returned to his chair and waited while Harry folded his legs out and sat cross-legged on the floor, elbows resting easily on his knees. 

He couldn't explain the how or why, but it seemed easier to think, easier to process and explain now, and Harry flicked his tail through his fingers as he spoke. "I'm scared. Leaving was wrong, whatever my reasons. Things might never be mended, and I'm terrified of hearing that coming from people I care about. Because I do still care; they're my family, and I love them. But if I change anything about the way I've behaved, then it changes things with you, and I don’t want that either."

"You can't change the past, Harry. If you do choose to apologise for leaving, I won't take that as a slur. I know that you want to be with me, you have proved that beyond a doubt. Short of smothering Miss Weasley in kisses, nothing you say or do to those you hold dear will upset me."

Sticking his tongue out at the implication, Harry shook his head. "That's just gross."

"Indeed. Come on, early to bed will do you good."

Harry scoffed and glanced at the clock. "We can't sleep; it's a quarter to eight!"

Standing, Severus opened a drawer in the writing desk and pulled out a white pillar candle, turning to offer his hand to Harry, helping the other man up and offering support while the blood resumed proper circulation in Harry's legs. "Who said anything about sleeping?"

The faint tingling almost gone, Harry shrugged loosely. "No one. What's the candle for."

"You'll find out. Why else would I have left the cuffs on?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Stood in front of the mirror as he brushed his teeth, Harry's free fingers trailed gently over his chest. There wasn't even a mark on him, and he shivered slightly as his mind flitted back to the night before. The wax didn't burn, barely even stung, but the anticipation drove him wild. When Severus had slid a cock ring into place, Harry had thought he'd die of not being able to come. Then, when he had come, on his hands and knees with spots of wax dripping in his cleft as Severus fucked him, Harry had come hard enough to worry he might lose an organ or two in the spray.

The best bit, he mused as he spat and rinsed the toothpaste from his mouth, had been the intimacy of the slim silver knife shaving the wax from his skin without making a single mark or nick. Just thinking about that had tremors of arousal running through Harry's body, and he moved his mind onto safer topics, knowing there wasn't the time this morning. 

As it was, he was dressed, fed, and sat at the kitchen table drumming his fingers on the wood by quarter to nine. The minutes seemed to creep by, and Harry jolted when the buzzer went at five to ten. Severus stood and went downstairs to let Arthur in, and Harry took a few deep breaths. When Arthur walked into the apartment, Harry felt a rush of affection run through him for the other man, accepting the hand held to him and moving into a brief hug. "Hello, Mr. Weasley."

"Please, call me Arthur. And hello to you too, Harry."

Stepping forward, Severus rested his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Would you like me to stay, or afford you some privacy?"

Smiling quickly, Harry brought his hand up to Severus', the touch fleeting but telling to the third man in the room. "Stay, please."

Nodding, Severus busied himself making tea as Arthur and Harry swapped inconsequential niceties. As he set mugs in front of them, Severus bit back a chuckle at Arthur's opening line.

"Now then, Harry, I can't help but notice your marvellous tail."

Nodding, Harry held out his hand and Summoned the book he'd shown Severus all those months ago. "It might help if you read this passage first, and then I'll try to explain."

Harry stared into his tea as Arthur read, looking up only when the sound of old leather hitting wood was heard. Arthur's expression was unreadable, and Harry swallowed hard before he began to speak. "I didn't know what I was, but I knew I had changed. I managed to hide it for a few months after my twenty-first, but it was difficult. Every unintentional slip of the tongue had to be followed, or the pain was excruciating. I was scared of people finding out; scared it could be used against me, scared that I'd be kicked out for being a freak. So I ran, and I hid. I couldn't risk anyone finding me. Then, about ten months ago, Severus happened to see me. We got to talking, and… I don't know, we'd both grown up. He found out about me being a Sottomesso, and offered his help and expertise. We worked together, and developed a friendship, which became more."

Harry paused, gauging Arthur's reaction. When the other man just smiled at him softly, Harry took a sip of tea to wet his throat, and continued. "The more we worked, the closer we got. But through that, the efforts to find a cure, a way to change me, were failing. There was one option, that both of us found, but didn't want to be the first to bring up. A soul-bond would help me, let me interact with other people and resist orders they accidentally or deliberately gave, if I knew it'd be something my soul-mate disapproved of. After talking it over, we both felt… no, we _knew_ it was the right thing to do. And I guess I knew that it was time to come home and make amends."

Arthur nodded and sipped at his tea. "Thank you for the honesty, and for the book; it gave me some perspective. What do you want to happen now?"

Thinking on it for a moment, Harry spoke quietly, "I want to talk to everyone else."

"I can arrange that. Molly still does a family dinner on a Sunday, perhaps you could come around after that?"

Harry nodded, feeling a lump form in his throat. Arthur saw the tensing of Harry's fingers around his mug, and turned to Severus, "Of course, you'll be welcome too."

"Thank you, though my presence needs to be talked through between Harry and I first."

"And what of you, Harry? What should I tell them before you arrive?"

"Could you tell them what I've told you? I don't know that I can tell it again."

Arthur nodded, draining his tea. "I'll tell them some, but they'll have questions for you too, Harry. Try not to worry too much about it. Though, what should I say about your relationship with Severus?"

Knowing that would be the issue that caused the most problems, Harry sighed. "That we're bonded. I'll explain the rest. I love him."

"You loved my daughter."

Harry sighed again and looked away, his eyes hot with tears, half at the pain he'd caused, half at the knowledge he'd do it again if it meant keeping Severus. "Not like this. I'm sorry, Arthur, I never meant to hurt her…"

Reaching out and resting his hand on Harry's shoulder, Arthur nodded. "I know you didn't. She's coped, moved on. She's seeing Dean Thomas now, has been for a year or so. But Harry, she's like her mother. She will take it badly to begin with. If you aren't prepared to put in the time to rectify this, you should stay away."

Nodding, Harry blinked his eyes clear and smiled weakly at Arthur. "I am prepared to do whatever it takes."

"Then I will see you on Sunday, hopefully you too, Severus."

Severus stood silently, escorting Arthur out of the building. As he held the door open, the other man turned to him, understanding in his eyes. "I heard a lot of things in Harry's voice, unsaid between his words. The one thing I didn’t hear was shame at what he is. And that's down to you, isn't it?"

Nodding, Severus answered simply. "I love him."

"Good, he deserves no less. Goodbye, Severus."

Tipping his head in farewell, Severus headed back upstairs, upset but unsurprised to find Harry's head in his hands and his shoulders shaking. Locking the door, Severus moved to comfort his lover, mind already working over what was to come that weekend.


	21. Chapter Twenty One - Visiting the Burrow

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2700  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

  
Kicking the door open clumsily, Severus returned from the shops with his arms bulging with bags; twice that amount had been shrunk down to fit in his pockets. The shopkeeper had looked at him as though he was mad, but Severus doubted this would even last them a week. Harry had been in a funk when Severus had left, and Severus hoped the brunette had cheered some as he'd woken up more. His hopes were dashed when he saw Harry sat on the counter, stabbing a spoon viciously into a tub of chocolate ice-cream, and eating it in large chunks.

Setting the bags on the table, Severus returned them to their normal sizes and pulled out some fruits. "That junk is bad for you, eat this instead."

Ignoring the offered apple, Harry stuck his full spoon defiantly back in his mouth, speaking around the frozen treat. "You bought it, because it was in your freezer. And I'll eat what I like, it's not my fault there was nothing else."

Raising a brow at the tone, Severus bit back on his irritation and kept his tone level. "You knew I'd gone out to shop."

"I was too hungry to wait." Harry expected Severus to snark back… wanted Severus to call him, to give him a reason to yell. The stress was eating at Harry, pushing his better judgement to the side and leaving his temper in control. When Severus did nothing but roll his eyes and begin unpacking the bags, Harry slammed the ice-cream tub into the sink, the spoon clattering on the cold metal, and jumped off the side to storm into the bedroom.

Wincing at the slammed door, Severus Vanished the ice-cream with a wave of his wand, returning to unpacking the shopping and leaving Harry to stew.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It took less than an hour for Harry to calm down, his temper receding as he sat on the bed and stared at his socks. That Severus hadn't come after him forced Harry to rake over his actions, seeing how wrong they had been, and knowing he would be the one following and apologising to his lover. Arguments with Ginny had been prolonged by the fact that if he walked away, Ginny would follow, and Harry was almost lost when he wasn't followed, wasn't coaxed back like a scared animal. While his anger still rode high, Harry put it down to Severus not really caring anyway. When his anger cooled, however, he knew it was his own fault; he'd spoken out of line, and what fool would expect their Dominant to come chasing after them? Harry wondered if Severus had realised quite yet what a volatile, bratty sub he had found in Harry, and the thought made Harry smirk softly as he stood up.

Straightening his clothes in the mirror, Harry took a few deep breaths before he crossed to the door and opened it slowly. Clicking it into place behind him, Harry moved to the chair Severus occupied, and spoke quietly, "May I sit with you?"

A curt nod of the head was the only answer Harry got, and he dropped fluidly to his knees, resting back slightly and folding his hands behind his back, right hand loosely circling his left wrist. And he waited.

Finishing the editorial section, Severus folded the paper crisply and leant forwards to set it on the coffee table. Settling back against the chair, he fixed his eyes on Harry's bowed head. "You have something to say?"

Taking the permission granted, Harry kept his head bowed as he spoke, grateful of the time given to formulate his thoughts. "I apologise for my behaviour. It was petty and childish; I allowed my worries and stress to overcome my manners and reason, and I spoke out of turn and with disrespect to you. I made things worse when I stormed off, and I apologise for that too."

Standing silently, Severus crossed to the desk, finding the parchment that had recorded their bonding, and taking it back to the chair. Tipping Harry's head up as he sat down, Severus held the parchment out and waited for Harry to bring his hands forwards to take it. "Read the fifth paragraph aloud."

Cheeks flushing, Harry already knew which absolute Severus wanted to hear, and his eyes slid over the words as he spoke aloud, "Spoken from you to me; 'Third; you must trust in yourself, and in me. There is no problem that can defeat us when we stand together, and many that will defeat us if either turns away. I accept you as my Mate, and will keep no problem from you. Thus, I expect this in return'."

Staying silent, Severus let Harry work through his emotions, watching the stain in his cheeks rise and then fade as Harry kept his eyes fixed on the parchment. Reaching down, Severus took the parchment gently and rested it on the coffee table. "Well?"

"I screwed up. I'm so used to dealing with problems on my own… back at school, I kept all my emotions bottled up for fear they'd get me killed. In Spain, there was no one to share with, and then when you came, there were no problems, not like this. Half of the time I don't even know what I feel myself, so I don't know how to explain it to you."

"I will not be spoken to in that tone of voice, ever. Should you make that mistake again the punishment will be swift and severe. Having spark is different to being badly behaved, and you need to work on holding your temper."

Nodding, Harry pushed his head against the hand that wove through his hair, looking up to finally meet onyx eyes and whispering, "I'm sorry."

"As am I. Strip, and stand over the back of the sofa." Leaving the room to find what he wanted, Severus returned with a paddle to find Harry naked and clutching the back of the sofa, bent at the waist and his tail swishing slightly. Severus held the paddle out, waiting as Harry looked at the longish leather, roughly two inches wide, before he moved to stand at Harry's side. "It is your prerogative to keep your tail out of the way. Five for the words and tone, one for slamming the door, one for the sheer disrespect shown. Sound fair?"

"Yes, Severus."

"Sir."

"Sir."

"Better. You speak to count off, and break position at your own peril. If this becomes too much, you have a safe word, but use it only if absolutely necessary; a punishment is supposed to hurt, pet."

"Yes, Sir."

Resting his left hand on the small of Harry's back, checking that Harry's tail was safely out of the way, thrown over the brunette's shoulder and twitching slightly, Severus drew his hand back and brought the paddle down in a straight line spot in the middle of Harry's buttocks. He felt the younger man jolt forwards and quickly push back into his former position, voice high and tight as Harry intoned, "One, Sir."

Hand moving back and angle changing slightly, Severus lay the next hit above the first, edges of blossoming red marks blooming together to mark a wide red swath over Harry's skin.

"Two, Sir."

Severus kept the hits running next to each other, but not overlapping, landing the sixth on the sensitive tops of Harry's thighs and hearing the catch of a sob in Harry's voice as he counted the hit off. Landing the seventh hit on top of the sixth, Severus tucked the paddle under his arm and ran his hand soothingly over Harry's flushed arse. Straightening Harry up slowly, Severus wiped the tears from his cheeks, and pressed a gentle kiss to Harry's scar. "This morning is set to rest. Return the paddle to the bedroom and think on what happened. Make sure you understand everything that has happened, and come to me with any questions."

Nodding his understanding, Harry took the paddle and headed into the bedroom, wincing as each step stretched his buttocks, and oblivious to the lust-filled gaze following his movements.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Leaving Harry time to think, Severus stood and entered the bedroom roughly an hour later, finding Harry lay on his side with his eyes closed, tail swishing figure of eight patterns on the man's thigh. Severus sat down on the bed, running his hand over Harry's arse and cupping the abused flesh gently before he drew his hand back and dropped a playful smack on the still-flushed skin. Harry gasped, eyes opening and a soft smile playing at his lips as he met Severus' gaze. "Hurt?"

"Aches a bit."

"As it should. It's time for lunch, and then you can choose how we spend the afternoon." Harry smirked at that, and Severus shook his head in exasperation. "Honestly, brat, I'm an old man; I can't keep up with you!"

"You do yourself down; it's never me left awake while you pass out in a mound of goo."

"Perhaps because I'd never do something so uncouth?"

Harry shrugged, sitting up and resting his forehead against Severus' shoulder. "I'm happy to do what you want, but for what it counts, my vote is for playing."

"Then play we shall."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Waking up on Sunday morning, Harry's body ached pleasantly, and he slid his arms around Severus when he found his lover in the kitchen stood over the coffee pot, resting his forehead between Severus' shoulder blades and speaking into his shirt, "Morning, Sev'rus."

"Pet. Sleep well?"

"Yup. There any coffee for me?"

Severus smiled, drawing Harry around to stand in front of him and handing a mug to Harry. After sniffing to ascertain there was enough caffeine involved, Harry leant up and kissed Severus' jaw softly, lips skittering over slight stubble. "Thanks."

Guiding Harry to the kitchen table, Severus set a full breakfast in front of Harry, focusing on his own cereal as the other man ate quickly and methodically. It amused Severus how Harry would eat each food separately; clearing one component before he began the next. If Severus were inclined to use such words, he'd have termed it cute.

Setting his cutlery down, Harry stood and grabbed the coffee pot, refilling Severus' cup and then his own, and leaning against the sink as he sipped slowly. "Will you come today?"

"If you want me to?"

"Yeah, I do, please." Severus nodded, and Harry felt a little weight lift from his shoulders. "Molly cooks for one, so if we leave here about half two?"

"That sounds fine. What shall we do to pass the morning?"

"I was going to have a bath, if that's okay?"

"Of course."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When he reached for his wand to cast the fourth warming charm, Harry suspected he'd been in the bath far too long. A look at the clock told him he'd wiled away nearly two hours in the water, mind working out what he'd say that afternoon, and the possible reactions to it. As he stood up and pulled the plug, the door opened and Severus entered holding a mug.

"Aaah, I see you haven't drowned."

"Nope, just shrivelled," Harry joked, swishing his tail quickly to shake off the water before he ran a towel over it carefully. Hopping out of the bath, Harry wrapped the towel loosely around his waist and accepted the mug held out to him.

"Are you ready for some lunch?"

Shaking his head softly, Harry set the cup on the side and Summoned another towel to rub vigorously at his hair. Moving the towel away when he was satisfied he wouldn't drip, Harry grimaced a little. "I actually feel kind of sick; I'd rather not eat anything before we go."

"You need something Harry; if you're hungry, you won't be thinking straight. This could be a long day."

Sighing, Harry cocked his head to the side, "Toast then? Something easy."

"I can live with that. Get dressed then, and I'll put some on."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He'd coaxed Harry into eating two slices of toast, and Severus suspected even that was a stellar achievement. As they walked up the road to the Burrow, he felt Harry's grip on his hand tighten, and squeezed back reassuringly. "You'll be fine. I'll be there the whole time."

Harry nodded and took a deep breath as he opened the gate and stepped onto the path leading up to the Burrow. He could see through the kitchen window, see them all sat there watching as he approached, and Harry fell still. "Severus…"

"You've come this far already."

Nodding, Harry resumed walking, knocking on the kitchen door and stepping back as Arthur came to the door and opened it. "Harry, Severus. Do come in."

Both men felt the tension and animosity in the air, and Severus wondered at the wisdom of him being there – he was a point of contention with Harry's friends, and perhaps this would run smoother without him. One look at Harry's deer-in-the-headlights look, however, told Severus that his place was here, offering moral support, and he kept his grip on Harry's hand as the brunette looked around the room, and the room looked back.

Arthur had done the best he could, but the rest was up to Harry, and he stepped next to the younger man and tried to look reassuring. "Cup of tea?" Harry shook his head, Severus mirroring the action when Arthur looked questioningly at him. "Right, well, I passed on what I knew, so the floor is yours, Harry."

Swallowing hard, Harry looked at the cold, closed off expressions on all but one face. The anger on Ginny's face was terrifying, and Harry let go of Severus' hand as Ginny stood up and walked to stand in front of him. "I thought you were dead. Thought some psycho ex-Death Eater had gotten you. Guess I was right, huh?"

"Ginny, I'm sorry, but…"

"…But nothing! I _grieved_ you!" she screamed, hands balling into fists and raining blows on Harry's chest. Shaking his head quickly at Severus when the older man looked set to step in, Harry caught Ginny's wrists and waited while she struggled and sobbed against him.

"Gin, I'm so sorry, Ginny, but I had to!"

Wrenching her hands free, Ginny's eyes flashed in anger, and she laughed mirthlessly, "Had to? Really? Well, I can see why. A fucking freak and a queer to boot, no wonder you ran. But why come back? To flaunt it, huh?"

Stung by the words, Harry searched for a response, but he was cut off by the slap that seared across his cheek, sending his head snapping sideways as Ginny hissed, "You'll burn in Hell for what you are!" and stormed out of the kitchen, door slamming behind her and glass shattering everywhere.

Stepping around his stunned lover, Severus repaired the glass pane with a wave of his hand, and turned to Harry. "Are you all right?"

Shrugging, Harry rubbed his stinging cheek. "I deserved that, I guess."

Chair scraping loudly over the floor, George shrugged off his wife's hand and walked to the door, turning to Harry as he drew level with him. "Yeah, you did," he snarled before exiting the house to find his sister.

Turning back to face the wall of silence, Harry faltered, unsure of what to say. No one looked encouraging, no one looked like they even cared, and Harry felt defeat wash over him. Head dropping down, Harry squeezed his eyes closed and swallowed around the lump in his throat. "I should leave."

"Running away again?"

Looking up, Harry was surprised that the stinging words came from Hermione, and he flinched back as she stood up and crossed over to him. 

"Don't flinch, I won't slap you. Because my daughter is in the room, and I don't want her to see me behave like that. My daughter, Harry. From my marriage. To your best friend. Which you missed. So start talking."

When no one spoke to stop him or tell him to leave, Harry nodded, letting Hermione return to her seat before he began to speak.


	22. Chapter Twenty Two  More Questions, More Answers

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2500  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

Looking up, Harry's voice trailed off as he accepted the glass of water Severus conjured for him. He'd started talking almost thirty minutes ago, beginning at the point in time when he felt his body beginning to change, and running right up to the days spent getting used to Severus' flat. He was thankful that no one had interrupted or questioned him, but Harry didn't dare meet anyone's eyes, to see if they believed him. 

"You thought so low of us? We're good enough to fight beside you, risk our lives, but not to be trusted with this."

It wasn't even the anger; it was the hurt in Hermione's tone that upset Harry the most, and he shook his head slowly. "It wasn't that, Hermione. What if it'd had gotten out? Even now, there are still Death Eaters on the loose and…"

"You're shagging one!"

Harry flinched away at the accusation from Ron, and tried to carry on as though it hadn't happened. "Hermione, if people had found out, they might have used it against me. I was still just a kid, and I was so scared that I could be used to hurt you."

"No one can force you…"

"Yes, they can! Yes, they can, Hermione! This isn't some compulsion charm, or the Imperious. This is in my genes. I can't fight this, because refusing to follow an order will kill me in the most excruciatingly painful way. And I'm not… I wouldn't… I _can't_ withstand that pain. I managed a few days, back when I was kidding myself I could ignore this and it'd vanish, taking the tail with it. And the pain, Hermione, it was like nothing on earth. I had to give in, and what if someone ordered me to hurt one of you?"

Hermione scoffed, standing up and leaning on the back of her chair, facing Harry as she hissed, "You'd resist. Human beings have autonomy and…"

"And I'm not a fucking human, am I?!"

"Language." 

The silky whisper from Severus quelled Harry's rising anger, and he closed his eyes, exhaling and letting his shoulders sag as he forced himself to calm down. "Sorry." Taking a deep breath, Harry turned and shot a swift smile at Severus, pleased to see from the set of the man's body that Severus was not angry with him. Turning back to Hermione, he kept his voice level, trying to make her understand. "Hermione, I'm not human. At least, not like you and everyone else. Somehow, a Creature gene got into my bloodline, and it's manifested in me. This isn't a choice. I'm not trying to back out of responsibility for my actions; if someone orders me to do something bad, I will regret it even as I'm following it. I didn't know what else to do, Hermione, than cut off from everyone I loved to protect them, and to protect myself."

Shaking her head, Hermione pushed up off the chair, pacing as she worked through her thoughts. "No. No, that isn't enough. We loved you, fought in a War for you. We'd have gotten you through this too. But you didn't even give us the chance. Just like always, you thundered into a half-baked plan, shutting us out, deciding on our behalf that we wouldn't be there. You broke Ginny's heart. Broke mine too. One day we woke up and her lover, my best friend, he was just gone. No note, no trace, no magical signature. Nothing. And we looked so hard, wasted our lives away trying to find you, until years had gone by and we had to give up, had to accept you were gone. So we grieved you, because we were so sure that you'd never do anything as selfish and callous as up and leaving without a word."

Hermione had started crying as she spoke, silent tears running down her cheeks as her words and her eyes blazed into Harry. He wasn't surprised to find his own tears falling, and Harry stepped forward, distressed when Hermione shrank away from him.

"No. You don't get to do this. We've moved on."

Severus saw the effect those words had on Harry, and he cursed the woman hurting his lover so. Watching Harry's face carefully, Severus watched as the shock and pain was covered up with a blank mask, and he ached for his Harry.

"Right, okay then. I'm sorry, then, to have brought up the past. I'll just leave then." Harry felt like his legs might not work, and all he could hear was ringing in his ears, all he felt was the repeated and bruising attack of the rejection on his friends' faces. Knowing Severus would be there, Harry turned around and reached out for the door.

"What does he have, that my daughter didn't?"

Stopped by the quiet question, Harry turned around slowly to face Mrs. Weasley, mouth moving but no sound coming as he floundered for words.

"I remember admonishing you and Ron for the colourful language you used in reference to Mr. Snape. And now, suddenly, he's a better choice than my daughter."

Aware he was on thin ice, Harry shook his head slowly. "It isn’t like that. I've grown up, a lot, since then. I didn't leave because of Ginny. I loved her, I still do love her. But not like she deserves. And our relationship, that's something I have to talk to her about first, if she'll let me, before I can explain myself to you. But I never meant to hurt her. And I would have, if I'd stayed."

"Well, now she knows, you two can set things back on track."

"It isn't that simple. I'm bonded with Severus."

"Bonds can be reversed."

Severus felt a flare of warmth break through the icy atmosphere in the kitchen when Harry shook his head slowly, not pointing out the logical fallacy of this argument – that a soul bond was forever – but the emotional fallacy. "That is as it may be, but I wouldn't want to. I love Severus. In the way that Ginny deserves, but I will never be able to give her. I didn't come back to hurt you all, I came back to make this right, because I love you and miss you, and because I screwed up. If you ask me to leave, I will do. I'm not going to force my company on you if you'd all rather I left you alone."

Harry had been unsure what he expected people to say to that, but he did know he hadn't expected this lingering silence. 

Clearing his throat, Arthur stood up and tried his best to smile. "It's been a long day, getting dark already. Harry, you've said a lot for us all to take in. You must be tired out too, why don’t you get along home, and we'll try to arrange a time to get together sometime in the week."

Nodding, Harry took the dismissal, glad of Severus' fingers sliding around his as they turned and headed out of the back door. They were almost outside of the wards when Harry heard Ron's voice calling them back, and stopped, turning around to watch the redhead jog towards them. 

"Harry."

"Ron."

Suddenly unsure of what to say, Ron shoved his hands into his pockets. "You've missed a lot."

"I know, Ron, and I'm so sorry. There wasn't a day went by that I didn’t pine for this place, for you lot and for home. But I was so scared, and I just…"

Nodding, Ron scuffed his shoe over the path. "I know. Can't say I wouldn't have done the same. Mind, married to Hermione, I can identify with your situation!"

Harry laughed and, for a split second while they grinned at each other, it was like old times. Then the smile slid from Ron's face, and Harry remembered that he'd trashed their friendship when he left rather than place his trust in his friend. 

"Did you know, when you were with Ginny? That you were… you know, liked men and that?"

"No. I really was trying to make things work with her, Ron."

"Yeah, I know. Never quite got you two, myself. Didn't see it lasting. Only thing I've ever been right about where Hermione was wrong. And Ginny… she didn’t know, did she?"

"What? No, I didn't tell anyone until just now. Why?"

"Well, you got her the Harpies job."

Harry groaned, and Ron shook his head softly. "I think everyone knew, deep down. She's good, but not that good. The girl that got dropped was better, more consistent. And with what you've just said… I love my sister, Harry, but I know she can… well, she can work things to her advantage."

Weighing up his options, Harry felt the warmth of Severus by his side, and went with the truth. "She asked me to get her the job, but it was in jest and frustration. She didn't really expect me to do it, and I wouldn't have anyway. But the Creature side… it doesn't really see grey, just black and white orders."

"I guessed as much. Fuck, Harry."

Nodding, Harry waited Ron out.

"Hermione's just upset. Before you left, she'd been fretting about you, thought you seemed distracted. Then, when you disappeared, she thought that if she'd cornered you sooner she'd have been able to help. She’ll calm down, I think."

"She'd have every right not to."

"Yeah," Ron nodded absently, still scuffing his shoe as he stared at a point past Harry's head. "Well, I'd best get back inside." Glancing at their locked hands, Ron gestured at Snape vaguely, "Congratulations, bonding is a big thing. You'll have Hermione wanting one now."

"Yeah, thanks. And you, on getting married. And your daughter."

Ron beamed; face lighting up at the very mention of his girl. "Yeah, little Rosie. She's fantastic, Harry."

"She looked it."

"Yeah. Well. Look, we'll owl or something."

Harry nodded, offering a half smile as Ron turned and walked back to the Burrow. Stepping out of the wards, Severus held Harry close and Apparated them back to his apartment. The brunette didn't speak until they were warded inside the apartment, and then it was only to rebuke Severus as he stepped close to Harry. 

"I might go to bed, if that's okay."

"Of course. Sleep well."

Harry mumbled a quiet goodnight, and Severus sank into his chair as the bedroom door snicked shut. If he lived to the end of the world, it would not be long enough to escape the memory of that afternoon, and the lingering fear that Harry would not bounce back from this.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Slouching into the kitchen, Harry smiled half-heartedly at Severus, sitting at the table and staring at the breakfast in front of him. He knew what he was expected to do, and took his cutlery in hand, cutting French toast up and eating slowly. It tasted like ash in his mouth, but when Severus asked if it was okay, he just smiled and nodded.

Knowing Harry was holding back, Severus reached out and rested his hand over Harry's arm. He'd slept badly, sat in the chair in the bedroom just watching as Harry tossed and turned, lost in dreams that Severus worried would never be shared. "Harry?"

Better to attempt to explain than upset his lover, Harry knew, so he shook his head softly. "Please don't. Not yet."

"Harry…"

"You're here, when I need you. I know. And I'm not shutting you out; I just can't, not yet."

Squeezing briefly, Severus nodded, standing up and carrying the plates over to the sink. He heard Harry's chair scrape over the linoleum, and felt the pressure of a hand on the small of his back. 

"I'm going to take a walk, to clear my head. I'll be back before lunch, is that okay?"

"Of course. I assume you wish for solitude?"

"Please."

"I'll be here when you return."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Under glamours, a thick robe, and a scarf, Harry felt relatively safe as he walked around, and he also stuck to side streets and empty pathways, keeping his head bowed and making sure he attracted no attention to himself. He walked for a few hours, returning back to Severus' apartment around eleven thirty. Re-entering the apartment building, Harry climbed the stairs and walked easily through Severus' wards and back into the flat. "Hey, Severus."

"Hello, Harry. Enjoy your walk?"

"Yeah, thanks. Is it okay if I jump in the shower?"

"Of course. I'll put some lunch on."

Smiling softly, Harry headed into the bedroom, turning the shower on and stripping quickly. As he stepped under the hot spray, Harry braced his hands against the tiles and bowed his head, allowing the tears that had been threatening since yesterday to fall.

This was how Severus found him half an hour later, and the older man stepped into the cubicle, heedless of the water as he pulled Harry close. Turning the shower off, Severus ignored the damp soaking through his shirt and trousers as he held Harry tight against him.

"They're never going to owl, are they? They thought I was dead, and now they wish it."

"Hush, Harry, they wish nothing of the sort."

"Yes, they do!" Harry sobbed, fingers clenching in Severus' shirt as he felt himself losing the battle with his tears. "They'd rather I hadn't come back. Gods, I've screwed everything up so badly, Severus!"

It was the last sense Severus got out of Harry for the rest of the day. When the younger man had stopped sobbing, Severus had led him out of the shower and straight into bed, watching over Harry as he slept the afternoon away, waking shortly before eight with a large yawn and an ever larger grumble of hunger. Glancing up from his book, Severus smiled briefly. "Hungry?"

"Yes, please. Did I ruin lunch?"

"It was only sandwiches, so no. Dress, and I'll make something quickly."

Clothed and relatively calm, Harry walked into the kitchen just as Severus was sliding pasta and sauce onto a plate. Taking his seat, Harry accepted the food gratefully, clearing the plate and grinning when Severus refilled it. "Thanks. And sorry, about earlier."

"For what?" Severus questioned, twirling pasta around his fork slowly. 

"For my chick moment."

"It was understandable. You've been through a lot, that emotional upheaval had to be dealt with somehow."

"I don't see you getting all emotional."

"I internalise. A different, though no better, method. Harry, try to understand their situation. It will take time for them to come to terms with this. When they have, then you can begin rebuilding bridges."

"And until then?"

"Until then, you can help me look for houses. This apartment is too small for both of us to live comfortably."

Harry looked up, confusion written on his face, and Severus waited for the smile to bloom over Harry's face. "Really? Our own house?"

"Somewhere that is neither yours, nor mine, but _ours_."

"Wow."

The warm, safe feeling that had come with that announcement stayed with Harry all evening, and as he lay in bed that night, head pillowed on Severus' chest, Harry murmured, "We're taking the kinky chair, right?"

"Yes, brat, we're taking the kinky chair."


	23. Chapter Twenty Three  Headlines

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2600  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

"Severus!"

The shout was panicked, border-line hysterical, and Severus wrapped a towel around his waist as he jumped out of the shower and ran into the kitchen, wet feet slapping on the tiles. He saw Harry stood by the window, trembling hands clenched around a copy of that morning's Daily Prophet. Harry's tremors were enough to make the paper flutter and rustle audibly, and Severus pulled on the paper firmly, taking it from Harry's hands and wrapping an arm around the brunette, holding Harry close as he scanned the front page.

  
**Boy Who Returned!!!**   
by Lucie Thomas 

_Shock and surprise was felt throughout the Wizarding World yesterday, as it was discovered that Harry Potter – the man who, at the tender age of eighteen, defeated He Who Must Not Be Named – who had previously been thought dead after disappearing seven years ago, is in fact alive and well, and living with a former Death Eater!_

_Previously in a happy, supportive relationship with the beautiful younger sister of his best friend, Harry left this all behind to embark on an emotionally destructive relationship with Severus Snape, the ex-Death Eater whose name he defended in Wizengamot Court._

_Continued on page 3_

_Harry's Achievements: Page 7_

_Snape's Dark Deeds: Page 11_

_The Epic Romance Cut Off In Its Prime: Page 13_

 

"Gods, I was so careful, thought no one had seen me and…"

"They didn't." Severus cut Harry off, dropping the paper on the kitchen table before he powdered it in his clenching grip.

"How else…"

"Harry, even if you had been seen, how would they have known of your relationship with me?"

Stumped, Harry shook his head, listening closely when Severus muttered, "Oh, no, I believe we have Miss Weasley to thank for this."

"Severus, I know you don't like her, but…"

"Did you not read the reporter's name? Lucie Thomas. Two years younger than her brother Dean Thomas, who I believe Miss Weasley is in a relationship with?"

Harry groaned, comprehension dawning as he leaned forward and studied the paper. He vaguely remembered Lucie, and couldn't believe Ginny would do something so callous. "At least she didn't mention the tail."

"A small mercy indeed." Severus' hand wavered, battling between reading the spurious lies and saving them both the pain. His decision was made up when Harry gestured to the paper and smiled cheekily.

"Shall we see if they've mentioned you have a dick like a cricket bat and use it for multiple dark deeds, in their little expose?"

"Brat."

Ducking under Severus' arm, Harry put the table between them, green eyes shining with mischief. "The big, bad, evil Death Eater with the sweet, innocent, virginal little Harry Potter at his mercy."

Growling, Severus prowled around the table, Harry moving quick enough to always keep it between them. "In every way imaginable." 

"Except, how can he do all those dark, nasty deeds, if he can't catch me!" Harry laughed, darting to the side and gasping when Severus caught him, backing him forcefully against the wall and sinking his teeth into the soft juncture of neck and shoulder.

Letting go of the sweet flesh, Severus rested his forehead against Harry's, dark eyes glittering as he whispered, "Caught you."

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Relaxed and sated, Harry sank onto the sofa next to Severus, watching the older man reading the rag that masqueraded as a newspaper. "Are you all right?"

"Amused that anyone would believe what is printed. Did you know I taught the Dark Lord all he knew about Dark Magic?"

"Well, you are very intelligent."

Severus nodded, putting the paper down next to him for the moment and reaching his fingers up to Harry's chin, holding him in place. "I do not wish to tempt fate, but you're taking this surprisingly well."

"I panicked, then realised that it doesn't matter. That paper will never manage to print the truth about me, and I have better things to do than read its lies. I have you, and that's all that matters to me."

Smiling softly, Severus leant forward and dropped a sweet kiss on Harry's lips. "How can such sweet words come from lips that not an hour ago were begging for all kinds of depravities?"

"Sheer talent. Shall I make some lunch while you continue reading about how you single-handedly created the Lycanthrope virus, and brought about the fall of Rome?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As there was a camp of journalists outside the apartment building, Harry didn't go out over the next week. He waved Severus off when the older man left the house to get food, supplies, and the property pages, and whiled away his time poring over the information packs on various houses, making notes so that he knew what he was saying when he and Severus talked over potential new homes, and didn't just gibber about banisters and being tied to them.

Severus had just returned from the shops, and was sitting down next to Harry with a cup of tea when the floo knocked. Rolling his eyes, Severus waited for Harry to move out of the line of sight before he opened the floo to shout at whichever idiot reporter hadn't yet learnt Severus could shout and hex simultaneously.

"All right, Snape, is Harry in?"

Glancing up, Severus watched Harry's expression carefully, waiting for the nod before he turned his attention back to the head in the fireplace. "Yes. Come on in."

The floo fully opened, and Ron stepped out and into the apartment. Brushing ash off his elbow, he looked around for a moment before remembering his mission, and turning to Harry. "How… how are you?"

"Fine, thank you. Amused that the Prophet hasn't got any better reporters."

Ron's face darkened and he folded his arms crossly. "Yeah, well, Ginny can take the fall on that one. Dad had a right pop at her; even Mum was pissed by it."

Feeling a flush of warmth, Harry was careful not to smirk or look victorious. "Do you know why she didn't mention my Creature status?"

"Merlin knows how Ginny's mind works. I don't know, she was mad at you, wanted to hurt you. But I suppose even Ginny wouldn't do something as stupid as telling everyone."

Harry nodded, looking around the room and starting when his eyes rested on his and Severus' tea cups. "Sorry, Ron. Do you want some tea?"

"Nah, don't want to put you out."

"The kettle has just boiled," Severus murmured, trying his best not to scowl at Ron. 

"Oh, well, yeah, go on then. Milk, two sugars please."

Resting his hand over Harry's arm when the brunette went to stand up, Severus shook his head and stood himself, heading off to make the tea and leaving Ron and Harry with a little space.

"How's Rose?"

Ron grinned, "Good, ta. She's a bit obsessed with your reappearance."

"Can I meet her?"

Ron's smile faded, but as Harry opened his mouth to apologise, Ron spoke quietly. "I'd like that, but not yet. Me and Hermione… we wondered if you wanted to come over, tomorrow afternoon. We've talked things through and well… you're still our friend. It must have been hard to come back and face up, so we can’t really dismiss you offhand."

"Thank you, Ron."

Shrugging, Ron sat down on the chair, pinching the bridge of his nose gently. "Well, you were my best mate. I miss that. So does Hermione."

Severus returned with the tea, handing it to Ron and taking his seat by Harry again.

"Ron and Hermione have asked me over tomorrow afternoon, is that okay?" Harry asked, reaching for his own mug and blowing across the surface before he took a sip.

"Yes, that's fine. What time?"

"About one?" Ron replied, curious as to why Harry was asking such explicit permission. 

"That sounds fine."

Harry beamed, and the conversation moved onto lighter topics, Ron sharing information about his daughter as they drank their tea. It wasn't the friendship they'd enjoyed in their youth, but as they talked, Harry could feel that the bond was still there, if a little tarnished. By the time Ron came to leave, Harry felt positive about his chances of renewing his friendship with Ron, and hopefully Hermione.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As Harry was preparing to leave, Severus slipped what felt like a large marble into his hand. "What's this?"

"In case you need me, press firmly against the button on the top, and I'll floo straight to you."

Harry studied the small sphere closely, before looking up to Severus. "They won't hurt me."

"I know, but this is for my peace of mind."

Nodding, Harry leant up and pressed a kiss to Severus' cheek. "Okay. I'll see you later on. Love you."

"And I you."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry stepped out of the floo with more than his usual grace, and smiled timidly at Ron and Hermione as they stood facing him in front of the sofa. Hermione looked like she might cry, and Harry wondered to the sense of this visit. His fears were soothed when Hermione smiled softly at him.

"Hello, Harry."

"Hey, Hermione. Thank you for inviting me."

Hermione seemed to waver on the spot, before she stepped forward and flung her arms around Harry. Harry soon regained himself from the shock, and brought his arms to wind around her waist. "I'm sorry, Hermione, I never meant to hurt you so much."

Drawing back, Hermione held Harry's cheeks in her hands, staring at him as though that simple act could answer all her questions. "Why didn't you say anything, Harry?"

"I was scared."

Stepping back, Hermione pressed her hands down slightly, before drawing back from Harry and sighing softly. "Well, you're back now. Let's try and work through this, so that me and Ron can have our friend back."

Though Hermione and Ron had turned to leave the living room, Harry wavered slightly. "You do know… things won't go back to how they were. I know I can't make demands, and that nothing will happen overnight, but I need to know that you realise Severus is a part of my life. That's not going to change."

Though both bristled, neither Hermione nor Ron refuted him, and Harry followed them quietly into the kitchen. Though it was difficult, they were talking things through, and Harry could feel Hermione coming around. He didn't appreciate the order she slipped into speech, her watching him blindly fling his right arm behind him and snapping into action without thinking; but it had gone a long way to winning her round, so he bit back his anger. 

"So, you and Snape. Why, Harry?"

"Because I love him." Harry answered simply, not appreciating the way Hermione looked when she spoke his lover's name.

"Yes, but why? What does he give that you can’t find in someone younger? And why are you so deferential? Ron told me you asked Snape's permission to come here. Would you have refused the offer, if he'd said no?"

"Probably."

Hermione gasped, and Harry sighed. "Look, it's complicated. I can't get into this if you're not prepared to listen."

"What do you think I've been doing?"

"Hearing me, but you need to _listen_. I've changed a lot since I came into the Heritage, and some of those changes were completely new, like the tail. Others… others were drawing on things already inside of me, and making them bigger parts of me. One of the things that draws me to Severus is that he's always in control. That appeals to me. Our relationship, it follows certain rules and…"

"Oh, no, Harry, no! How can you be in that kind of relationship? You're too strong to…"

"To what, Hermione?" Harry's eyes flashed in anger, and he saw his friend reconsidering her words. "If Severus were here, he'd tell you the strength it takes to submit is greater than the strength it takes to dominate, but that's his argument. Mine is more subjective." When the witch didn't open her mouth to speak, Harry sighed softly, resting back in his chair and speaking quietly. "When I was eleven, I suddenly fell into this world where everyone held me on a pedestal. Growing up like that, being looked at to make decisions and take a stance when I was just a kid, it fucked me up. Those months after the War, I couldn’t sleep for sitting up at night second-guessing my actions. I got scared of my own decisions, scared of making a bad choice. And Severus, he takes that away from me. He makes the decisions, and I know they’re the right ones. Even back at school, he always did right by me, always acted to keep me safe. And it… there are a whole lot of reasons, and it's hard to understand unless you live it."

"And you live it? What, all the time, or only on weekends? Do you live it enough to have been trained, or is it just a game?" Hermione paused to roll her eyes at Harry's look of surprise, "Honestly, Harry. I read. A lot. Besides, everyone knows Luna met Rolf at a leather bar."

"Luna's a sub?"

"Luna's a Domme."

Harry choked on his tea, wiping his mouth on his sleeve and grinning, "Wow, would not have seen that coming."

"No, that dreamy expression is quite misleading. But you haven't answered my question."

Blushing a little, Harry switched position, wrapping his fingers around his mug and speaking into the honey-hued liquid. "Picked things up from my own research, been taught things by Severus, and a healthy dose of natural inclination. It isn’t perfect, and I still mess up, but I'm learning."

"Until he decides to get a new pet."

Harry snapped his head up, surprised to see Ginny in the doorway. She crossed the kitchen to lean against the cooker, and Harry was glad to see that Hermione and Ron looked equally surprised by her presence. "That won't happen."

"Really? Because I was under the impression life-long commitments were signified by a collar. Or hell, you bonded with him, even a wedding ring."

Stung, Harry reflexively brought his hand to cover his ring finger, and shook his head. "We know the relationship between us, what need is there to publicly proclaim it when the public has no business with it?"

Ginny laughed dryly. "You sound just like him. That the excuse he gave when you asked why he didn’t want anyone to know you were his?"

"Ginny, what are you doing here?" Ron cut in, already able to see Harry shutting down, and angry at his sister for showing up unannounced.

"I went to see Mum, and figured that if Rosie was with her, it was because you were meeting with _him_."

"Yeah, we are. He's our friend."

Ginny scoffed, and Harry stood up slowly. "I should probably leave."

Ron had to walk the line between his family and his friend, and Hermione saw him wavering. Putting everything out of her mind, she allowed herself to do that which she rarely did. She stopped thinking, and allowed herself only to feel. And she knew, if she let Harry leave, she could lose him all over again. "You and Severus should come over, tomorrow evening maybe? Give you a chance to meet Rosie."

Ginny looked scandalised, and Harry smiled a little as he stepped forward and dropped a quick kiss on Hermione's cheek. "I'd like that. I'll have to ask Severus, but I'll floo you if there's a problem."

"Okay, so hopefully we'll see you tomorrow, about six-thirty?"

Harry nodded, and as he stepped into the floo he heard the oh-so-familiar sound of Ginny starting to yell.


	24. Chapter Twenty Four  Meet and Greet

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2600  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

Harry stepped out of the floo, tripping on the grate and glad of Severus' hand reaching out to steady him. Hermione and Ron were already in the living room, and Harry grinned at the toddler leaning against her father's leg. 

Wavering for a moment, Ron decided to use the manners his mum had scared into him and held his hand out, greeting Harry and then Severus. "Rosie, this is Harry Potter and Severus Snape."

The little girl grinned shyly, hand clenching in Ron's trousers as she blushed and pointed at Harry. "You've gotta tail!"

"Rosie! It's rude to point, and…"

"It's okay, Hermione, really," Harry laughed, brushing off Hermione's embarrassment and moving to crouch down in front of Rosie. Swishing his tail forwards, he caught it between his fingers and held it out gently. "Yes, I have a tail. Want to touch it?"

The little girl nodded, and Harry smiled as she closed her fist around the tip and stroked downwards, eyes wide and mouth open in a smile. "s'Like the kitty's! Wanna see?"

Still grinning, Harry allowed himself to be led out of the lounge by his tail, leaving Severus, Hermione, and Ron staring at each other. The tension seemed to drag out, and Severus chose his words carefully. "If it would be easier, I can return home."

Though she was sorely tempted to agree, Hermione shook her head. "We all reacted badly. But I want Harry's friendship back. That means accepting his relationship with you."

"You're perfectly happy with the situation?"

"No, but I can see that Harry is."

Severus had to hand it to the woman; she was honest. Nodding his head slightly, Severus accepted the offer of a drink and began the mental countdown to when he and Harry could leave.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Rosie had gone to bed, leaving the four adults free to talk over the dinner table. Though there were moments when voices would raise, or words would cut off while tempers receded, Severus was pleased by the headway being wrought. There was even effort being made to accommodate him. While Harry and Ron complained about the Cannons having drafted in a player both felt was sub-par, Severus found himself discussing the merits of potions with Hermione and giving the woman hints on ingredient substitutions so that potions would be safe around Rose.

When the floo sounded, all four looked to the door and Severus wondered why Harry seemed so tense. 

"All right, didn't know you two would be here." George greeted them as he headed to the cupboard and grabbed a plate, filling it with food and sinking down next to Harry. "I'm beat; the new guy needs constant supervision, so I had to work front of house while he got his bearings." George shovelled a hefty forkful of lasagne in his mouth, swallowing it down and turning to Harry, sticking his hand out roughly. "Sorry ‘bout Sunday, Harry. But Gin's family; I wasn't going to let her be alone, and I figured everyone else would repeat what was said."

"It's okay, I understand."

"Nah, it was bang out of order. Especially considering Ginny's little stunt. Silly witch."

"George, she's hurting," Ron groaned, bringing one hand to rub his eyes while the other brought his wine glass up, bumping it against his nose and using that as a guide to find his mouth. "She just… sort of… didn't think."

"I don't care. The one thing we know is you don't talk to the press. You definitely don't go selling stories about Harry Potter. Merlin knows, I could have made a fortune at fifteen if I'd told the press half the stuff you two got up to. Ginny should have known better. So, sorry about that too, Harry."

Harry took a sip of his own wine and shrugged softly. "Don't be, what's done is done. Besides, it saves me having to tell everyone. You're taking this pretty well?"

George shrugged, pondering that one for a while as he demolished the rest of his lasagne and started on a second helping. "Well – and don't get me wrong, I did miss you and that – but I wasn't as cut up as some other people. And coming back must have taken a lot of guts. Life is too short to hold grudges; you've said sorry, and you're putting it right, so as far as I'm concerned, you and me are evens."

Harry beamed and was about to say thank you when Ron chuckled dryly, "How many nights were you on the sofa before Angelina knocked that into you?"

"Shut it, mouth. I worked that out all by myself. I did get a night for storming after Ginny, but that's another story." At Harry's look of confusion, George elaborated, "I love my sister dearly, and I love my wife. Sadly, they do not love each other so much. More, tolerate, with occasional fights."

Nodding, Harry grinned slightly and returned back to the more superficial conversation of Quidditch, sliding his hand under the table to lace with Severus', and grinning when his fingers were squeezed back. After a casual comment about the reporters outside Severus' apartment, the conversation moved to more serious topics, and Harry found himself plotting with his friends ways to deal with the mess he'd found himself in. It gave him hope, and he drained his glass as he chipped in his own opinion. "Might as well answer their questions, but the Prophet will twist my words away from me."

"How about the Quibbler?" Hermione suggested, waving her wand idly at the wine bottle and sending it to split the contents between the five glasses. "Luna still runs it, Rolf writes for it, and you already know that she'll print your words as you give them."

Looking to Severus, Harry raised an eyebrow, watching as Severus worked his mind over the idea. "What do you think?"

"I think it may be a good idea. Sooner or later your tail will come out. Better on your terms than someone else's."

"My tail will come out? What, you don't think I can keep it in my trousers?"

"Not at all." Severus replied, smiling slightly at Harry's grin and shaking his head softly. Seeing Harry's empty glass, Severus drained his own and glanced at the clock, wincing slightly at the time. "I think, brat, we've outstayed our welcome."

"I'm not a brat!"

"No, you are the single most mature person I know, especially with half a bottle of wine in you. Regardless, it's time to leave. Tomorrow, we can think on contacting Luna."

Harry nodded, standing up and shaking George's and Ron's hands and dropping a kiss on Hermione's cheek. "I enjoyed tonight."

Nodding, Hermione leant in to kiss Harry back. "Me too. We'll fix this, between us, I know it. Perhaps you could come over next Friday?"

"Yeah, I'd like that. Thanks again, you too, George."

Waved off in the floo, Harry staggered into the flat, collapsing on the sofa as Severus stepped neatly out of the fireplace. "That went well, don't you think?"

"Yes, Harry, it did. But then again, I did tell you it would. I did tell you that, given time and an honest explanation, your friends would come around."

Harry scrunched his face up at Severus, intending to come up with a witty retort but failing miserably, so instead resorted to childish banter. "Bite me."

"With pleasure. Where?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry was surprised when the floo knocked that morning and Luna stepped out, followed by a man Harry didn't recognise but took to be her husband. Severus seemed equally stunned, and Harry watched carefully for a sign of anger as Luna explained that Hermione had told her what was happening. When Severus didn't begin glaring or grinding his teeth, Harry was reassured that his lover wasn't about to lose his formidable temper, and tuned back in to what Luna was saying.

"…of course, Hermione was a little vague, she hasn't had time to fully research yet. But when she told me that you were prepared to speak to the press, I knew I had to come straight over."

Bemused that Luna hadn't mentioned his sudden reappearance, or his questionable relationship, Harry sipped his tea before setting the mug on the coffee table. "You don't seem surprised to see me."

"I knew you weren't dead."

"Oh?"

"Of course. However, I will concede to being wrong that you'd fallen foul of angry faes, and were trapped in their kingdom."

Biting his lip to hide his laughter, Harry studiously did not look at Severus – he knew he'd be unable to hide his laughter if he did. Luckily, when Rolf began the interview, Luna ambled into the kitchen, taking Severus with her to give Harry some space.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The interview went well, and Harry enjoyed catching up with his former friend and finding out about her life. He congratulated her on expecting twins, and stared covetously at Rolf's collar when he knew no one was paying him attention. All in all, it had been a successful morning, but one look at Severus' face when they'd closed the floo had Harry doubled up in peals of laughter.

Regaining himself, Severus could hear the smile in his voice as he said, "Such a lucky escape, from the Fae."

"Don't, my sides ache! I thought I was going to choke on my tongue! She's still so… my gods, I cannot believe that woman is a Domme!"

"Believe me, if asked to pick a student I'd expect to be conversing on punishment techniques with, she would have been bottom of the list."

"You and her were…"

"Oh yes, we swapped some most useful pointers while you were liaising with the press."

Harry laughed, stepping forward and moving into Severus' arms, leaning his head against Severus' shoulder and letting his eyes slide closed. "He's as bats as her. They're both lovely, but very well suited. And she'll print what I told him."

Running his fingers up and down Harry's spine, Severus murmured quietly, "Yes, she will. And the idea of doing an article on Sottomesso, and their traits and history, was inspired. Ignorance breeds intolerance, and perhaps this way people will be aware that you acted as you did for good reasons."

Nodding, Harry broke from the embrace to go and put some lunch on; his stomach was beginning to make itself known.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry hadn't meant to slip into melancholy thoughts, but as he'd made the lunch his thoughts had drifted to the collar Rolf wore proudly, and what Ginny had said when she'd shown up at Ron and Hermione's. He and Severus ate in silence, and Harry mulled over whether to say something or not. When he caught Severus shooting him a worried glance, Harry's decision was made for him, and he set his cutlery down and finished his water. "Can we talk?"

Nodding, Severus stood and headed into the lounge, settling on the sofa and waiting while Harry settled next to him. "Is something wrong?"

"Not wrong… you know when I went to Ron and Hermione's? Well, Ginny showed up." Severus growled, and Harry glanced up, smiling reassuringly. "She appeared when I was talking about you and just spouted some general dross to hurt me."

"What did she say?"

"I'm getting to that! She said that it wouldn't last, because you hadn't given me a collar or a ring. Like you weren't happy with everyone knowing we were together. And then seeing Rolf today, I just wondered… I'm not trying to force your hand, and I know that it doesn’t matter because we know what's between us and everyone else isn't important, but I was just curious…" Harry's voice trailed off as Severus stood up and left the room. A little stunned, Harry kept quiet when Severus returned, not seeing anger in his lover, but not knowing why Severus had up and walked out with no explanation.

Revealing his hand, Severus held out the black box he'd had ever since the collar caught his eye in the window of a Spanish fetish shop. As Harry took the box, Severus spoke quietly. "It did not seem appropriate before we'd bonded, and afterwards, we were both focused on returning to Britain. It occurred to me that a collar may be detrimental when you were talking things over with your friends; it'd be one more thing you had to explain before they'd hear sense, and I didn't want to create conflict."

Harry opened the box, smiling at the collar. It was simple, yet perfect; fine leather and a buckle at the back. Strong and solid without being showy, much as Severus was himself. Reaching his fingers forward, Harry yelped as they were batted away, and the box snapped closed. "Severus!"

"Hush, brat. I'm not just handing out a collar meaninglessly. You will earn it, and receive it only when the time is right."

Pouting, Harry shifted on the sofa, leaning forward to nuzzle against Severus' neck gently. "How can I earn it, Sir?"

Ignoring the thrum in his groin – he would not allow himself to be played on this – Severus reached his hand to press firmly between Harry's legs, "You can start by doing the washing up."

Knowing better than to argue, Harry pressed a last kiss to Severus' neck before getting up and heading over to the sink, a new spring in his step.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

That afternoon, they had a few house viewings scheduled, and Severus took full advantage of Harry's wanting to please him by sliding the remote-controlled vibrating egg inside him just before they left. Severus was having great fun flicking the remote in his pocket and watching Harry try to conceal his pleasure. When the agent left them to explore the final house for themselves, Severus led Harry outside and into the backyard. Spotting the gazebo that the seller had raved about, Severus led Harry over to it, stepping up onto the wooden floor and admiring the small, intimate structure. "You know, I believe I could tie you to these four posts and suspend you in the air. You'd be stretched, but it'd work."

Harry whimpered; he could almost feel the pull on his arms and legs, the spell or the strap supporting his back and taking some of his weight. The roof of the structure would provide shelter from the elements, and the fact that the railings broke in four places to allow entry meant Severus would be able to freely move to any part of his body. "Like this house."

"Why? Because of the thought of being bound in this gazebo? Because of the kitchen table, such a perfect height to bend you over? Because of the cellar door, and the wandering thoughts of what kind of room I could furnish in those dark dungeons?" As he spoke, Severus flicked the dial on the remote up, and he readjusted his own trousers as he watched Harry drop to the floor, trembling in orgasm as he clung to the post.

Grateful of the hand helping him up, Harry leant heavily against Severus as he took a few deep breaths, feeling the tingle of a cleaning charm and muttering a thanks to Severus. Straightening up, Harry answered the question he'd been asked. "Yes, all those things are good. But also because this house was owned but wasn't lived in. We can make it our own. There's space, and solitude, and potential for a life here."

"Then we will discuss this house as an option, when we have seen the others. For now, it's time to return home and continue my fun in a more appropriate setting."


	25. Chapter Twenty Five  Unexpected Guest

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~2300  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

And a cliffie, *is evil*

 

 

The Quibbler interview published on Saturday morning, and Severus had kept Harry in bed most of the weekend, successfully distracting him from the repercussions playing out on the street outside. But Monday was upon them, and as Severus stood over the coffee pot and fretted, Harry caught up on the Daily Prophet's hysteria.

"Severus, have you seen this?"

"Seen what?"

"The articles in here? In the space of a week, I've gone from the poor little boy captured by a big bad Death Eater, to the evil Creature ensnaring people with my Creature wiles."

"You are rather wily."

Harry sniggered and folded the paper up, tossing the rag to the side and closing his eyes as he scratched himself. "That is as it is, but I can't believe they're going to such lengths. There's a thousand galleon fee for the first photograph of my tail."

"I wonder what I'd get for the picture of your tail being put to use?"

Harry flushed, muttering under his breath about foul tactics, and getting a swipe around his head for his troubles. He tipped his head to the side when Severus leant down to kiss his cheek, and captured thin lips in his. Drawing back, Harry questioned, "Would you want everyone else to see something only you have seen?"

"Of course not. I jealously guard what is mine. However, it is almost time for me to leave, so I have to get in all the teasing I can."

Pouting, Harry stood up and wound his arms around Severus, resting his forehead against Severus' shoulder. "But how will I amuse myself, all alone?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something. You can begin packing up the books in the case; when I get back tonight we can put in an offer on the house." Severus smirked as Harry was successfully distracted, and dropped a brief kiss on Harry's cheek. "You'll be fine, I'll be back around six tonight."

"Okay, I'll put some food on for when you get in. I hope it isn’t too stressful today."

"It won't be. I'll spend the day being brought up to date, and begin work in earnest tomorrow. Be good, Harry."

"Aren't I always?" Harry laughed, waving as Severus laughed and stepped into the floo, disappearing from view and leaving Harry feeling strangely lost. Considering the washing up, and the heaving bookcase that would need to be packed up, Harry knew there was only one thing he could do. 

He went back to bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Woken by the knocking of the floo, Harry scrambled out of bed and jogged into the living room, still half-asleep and opening the floo without thinking about it. He realised what a mistake that was when a foot appeared, and Summoned his wand over to be ready.

He promptly dropped his wand and his jaw when Molly Weasley followed the foot, brushing soot off her shoulder and looking mightily uncomfortable. Staring at her for a moment, Harry remembered that he was only wearing his sleep pants, and without looking down he couldn't guarantee that they were stain-free. "Mrs. Weasley, hello!"

"Hello, Harry. I wondered if we could have a chat?"

"I… uhm… yeah, sure. Just, just let me go and get dressed. Have a seat." Harry left Molly perched on the sofa as he darted into the bedroom and shucked his pyjama bottoms, relieved to see they were clean. Pulling on boxers and jeans, Harry grabbed a jumper and pulled it over his head, returning to the living room and smiling politely. "Would you like some tea or coffee?"

"Tea would be lovely."

Setting himself to make the tea, Harry brought the tray into the living room, setting it on the coffee table and sitting down on the soft armchair. "How are you?"

"Oh, fine, fine. Busy, you know. And you?"

"Settling back in. Okay, really."

"I… I spoke to Ron; he said you and Severus went round."

Tensing for a fight, Harry nodded softly, "Yeah, we did. I… I want to repair what I did, and…"

"Severus must be a part of that?"

"Yeah, he must." Harry was certain the firmness in his voice would lead to Molly leaving, but she didn't get up or say anything. Instead, he watched as she stared down into her tea, seeming to organise her thoughts before she spoke.

"The article in The Quibbler… it's the truth?"

"Yes, it is."

She sighed, sipping at her tea and staring morosely at the rug. "I just don't understand. What did we do, that was so awful you couldn't tell us?"

Tears prickled hotly at Harry's eyes, and he moved from the chair to sit next to Molly on the sofa, resting his hand over her arm. "Please, Molly, it wasn't anything anyone did. I was just scared, and I ran."

"Then why are you back?"

The words hurt, and it took Harry a moment to steady his voice before he could speak again. "Because you're my family, and I love you. I didn’t stop loving you when I left, and I won't stop now. England is still my home, and I want to be back here. If it hurts you all too much, I will stay away. But I had to try."

"But why? Why can you be back now, but couldn't stay then?"

"Because I'm older now, wiser. And because I have Severus." Molly groaned, and Harry shook his head, "Please, don't. I know it's hard for you to hear, but I love him. He gives me the strength to face up to my past mistakes."

Molly nodded and set her mug down. "I should get going, things to be done."

As Molly moved to the floo, Harry reached out and rested his hand on her arm. Though it was one of the hardest things he'd done, he held her eyes as he spoke. "I love him, and I won't lose him, for anyone. But I love you; you're the closest thing to a mother I've ever known, and I will always be in your debt for what you did for me growing up."

Molly's eyes were watery, and even as she smiled weakly, tears fell. "I have to stand by my daughter."

Nodding, Harry watched her leave before he sank into the chair and buried his head in his hands.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus stepped into the flat a little before six and smiled at the smell of fresh bread and cooking soup. His smile fell, however, when he saw Harry stood by the sink, staring aimlessly out of the window. "Harry?"

"Oh! Shit, sorry, didn't register the door. How was work?"

"It was work. What is wrong?"

Sighing, Harry moved over to Severus and pressed against his chest. Encased in strong arms, he repeated the conversation he'd had with Molly, leaving nothing out and breaking away at the end only to turn the heat off from under the soup, moving straight back into Severus' arms and waiting on his lover's response. 

"Are you surprised, that she is siding with her daughter?"

"No, not really."

"Perhaps… perhaps settling your debts with Miss Weasley is the way to rekindle your relationship with the rest of her family. Do you think she would be willing to talk with you?"

"I don't know. But where would we talk? I'm not bringing her here, and I don't want to go to her house. And I don't know where she lives, or how to contact her, or…"

"Ask Mr. Weasley. He was the first to offer his hand to you, I'm sure he'll help in this."

Harry smiled, mouthing thank you up at Severus and smiling when the other man leant down to kiss him softly. As they broke apart, Harry grinned, "Enough idle chit chat, I didn't slave over a stove all day for you to gossip while the soup goes cold."

Severus laughed, sitting down as Harry ladled soup into bowls, and set fresh rolls on a plate on the table. "You appear to be channelling a middle aged housewife."

"I am not. For one thing, I'd look much better in a skirt than some middle aged housewife."

It was difficult to leer and eat soup, so Severus settled on eating soup and speaking when he'd swallowed, "Careful, brat, or I'll make you prove that assertion."

"Denim or tartan?"

"Pardon me?"

"For the mini skirt," Harry explained, snickering when Severus choked on his spoon.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

While Severus was at work, Harry amused himself with packing up the apartment, and planning purchases for the new house, as well as speaking often with Hermione and getting to know little Rose. Hermione had agreed that speaking to Ginny was a must, and her and Ron had managed to convince Ginny of that fact. Which led to where they were now; Harry in the kitchen of Hermione and Ron's home, waiting for Ginny to arrive. It had been decided that this was the best place for them to talk; it afforded them privacy while not being home turf for either of them.

Running the marble that Severus had given him that morning, before the older man had left for work, through his fingers, Harry prayed he wouldn't need to press the little button. When Ginny stepped into the kitchen, the look on her face gave him reason to fear he might have to, and he swallowed hard, determined to see this through.

"Okay then," Hermione said, her voice falsely cheery, "I'm going to the park with Rosie, we'll be about an hour. That gives you both some privacy."

"Thanks, Hermione," Harry answered, waiting until she'd left and the door had closed before he looked up and met Ginny's angry eyes. "What do you want to know?"

"What the hell you are playing at?"

Harry had expected questions about the past, not the present. "What do you mean?"

"With _him_?"

"Severus? Ginny, I understand it's hard for you to accept, but I love him."

"He's a man. You forget, I've been an active part in your sex life. What, were you imagining you were fucking a bloke every time you fucked me?"

Wincing at the coarse words, Harry shook his head slowly. "No, Gin, not at all…"

"Or were you fantasizing about me fucking you? I could have done that, been that, like what he is, if you'd just told me and…"

"Ginny!" Harry almost laughed, the idea was so ridiculous, "Yeah, you could tell me what to do, but could you do it properly? Safely? Know when to stop and when to push? Stop thinking about yourself and think about the welfare of another person completely and fully?"

Harry stopped, unwilling to go on in case he said more that couldn't be taken back. Changing tactic, Harry kept his body language open as he spoke, "Ginny, when we were together you were the only one I thought about. It was nothing you did, or didn't do, that made me leave. I really did try to make it work, I loved you…"

"Just not enough."

Harry sighed and shrugged softly. "Yeah, not enough. You deserve someone to worship you, to stop existing if you aren't right there in the room with them. And that isn't me, Ginny. But, you know, you have Dean and he does love you and…"

"How would you know? You haven't been here; you can't make judgements on my relationship."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just meant…"

"You think he is that to you? You think he worships the ground you walk on?" Ginny cut over Harry yet again, words harsh and ugly as she spat them at him. "He's only interested in you because you're different, unusual. If you were just a normal guy, without that fucking tail, he'd be long gone. You're a freak show to him."

Harry winced, turning away and leaning on the counter top, fighting away the doubt that tried to rise with the fact of Severus' love that he felt all through him. Ginny's words were not true, Harry told himself silently. 

Ginny watched Harry as he stood there, and knew he was steeling himself to answer her. This wasn't fair; she'd loved him. They'd had a happy life, her a famous Quidditch player, him the Saviour, both of them in the papers whatever they did, invited to parties and held as Wizarding Royalty. And he'd just left her, for a man with no looks, no manners, no appeal at all. It hurt like nothing Ginny could imagine, and though she knew her rage was blinding her, she couldn't draw back from it. Her eyes fixing on the tail, Ginny wondered briefly if she even wanted Harry back or if she just wanted to hurt him as much as waking up and finding him gone had hurt her.

She'd never been good at resisting her temper, and Ginny slipped her wand from her jeans. She was certain that if Harry were normal, Snape would not be interested. And even though she didn't know whether she wanted him back or not, she did know she wasn't going to let him stay with Snape. She'd prove just how bad for Harry the hideous old man was, how fickle this infatuation was. "He'll leave you. As soon as you're normal again, he'll leave you."

"Ginny, I won't be normal. This Creature Heritage won't change, won't go away," Harry responded, turning his head to face Ginny as he began to push away from the counter. He saw her wand drawn – his own was in his back pocket and out of reach in the time he had – and her mouth was moving, and it was all Harry could do to try and move out of the curse's path.

"Sectumsempra!"


	26. Chapter Twenty Six  Make-ups, Break-ups and Cake

**Title** \- Sottomesso  
 **Author** \- SoftlySweetly  
 **Beta** \- Potion_Lady *tackle-glomps*  
 **Rating** \- NC17  
 **Word Count** \- ~4500  
 **Characters/Pairings** \- Harry/Severus  
 **Warnings** \- DH Spoilers, Adult Language, Slash, Sex, Creature!Fic, D/s, all manner of kinky things,  
 **Disclaimer** \- I own nothing but the plot lines. I make no money from this, and mean no offence by any scene depicted within this story. All characters depicted in sexual situations herein are above the age of consent.  
 **Summary** \- Pulled back from death by a boy he hated, Severus pays Harry no more heed until he bumps into him ten years later. But Harry is not the boy Severus remembers, and the changes Harry has undergone have the power to twine his and Severus' lives forever.  
 **Author's Notes** \- This fic owes a nod to the book _Ella Enchanted_ , for prompting all manner of deviant thoughts in me when I read it, a massive thanks to various internet resource sites, and another nod to my beta, for not sporking me senseless when I told her about this bunny *grin*

 

 

 

Glancing up from his cauldron, Severus reached out and took the inter-hospital memo, muttering in irritation and casting a stasis spell on the bubbling liquid. Assuming it would be yet another pointless initiative to make the accounting department feel needed, Severus' heart clenched as he read the quickly scribbled lines. Turning on his heel, he shoved the letter into Walton's hands as he pushed past his boss in the doorway, heading upstairs and trusting the other man to realise the gravity of the situation. 

The waiting area on the third floor was deserted except for five figures, and Severus ignored them as he headed to the large swing doorways. 

"Mr. Snape, you can't go in there…"

"Harry…"

The junior Healer stepped out from the front desk and rested her hand on Severus' arm as he tried fruitlessly to push the doors to the intensive care ward open. "The Healers are patching him up; they'll come and get you when he's awake."

"He's unconscious?"

"Under a mild anaesthetic charm, just while they patch him up. Take a seat and they'll be with you shortly."

Stepping back from the doors, Severus turned slowly, finally paying some heed to the people in the waiting area with him. Ron and Hermione, and their brat, as well as Ginny and a man in Auror robes that Severus vaguely recognised as a former student. The pale, tear-streaked face of Ginny told Severus all he needed to know, and he barely prevented himself from reaching for his wand as he advanced on her, his voice a dangerous hiss. "What did you do?"

Shrinking back, Ginny shook her head, "I was angry and I…"

"Mr. Snape?"

Turning his back on Ginny, Severus hurried to the Healer. "Is he okay?"

"He will be. We're waking him up now; you'll be able to come see him in a few minutes."

"Thank you," Severus nodded, waiting until the Healer had re-entered the ward before he turned back around to face the waiting room. Fixing Ginny in cold eyes, he spoke slowly and clearly. "What did you do?"

"Hexed him," she whispered.

"What, and where?"

"Sectumsempra, and… you only love him because he's different!"

Rolling his eyes, Severus hissed, "No, idiot girl, I love him because he's Harry. My Harry, in every way imaginable, and if he bears any kind of mark from this – physical or mental – I will make you pay."

The Auror stepped forward, hand on his wand and pointing it at Ginny. "All right, Miss, that was a confession, and I have to…"

"Come on, Rodgers! She's my sister!"

"She attacked the Saviour!"

"Because she was mad at him. This doesn't need…"

"This has to go through the official channels and…"

"Silence!" Severus shouted, ending the bickering between the two men and bringing everyone's attention onto him. "Leave her be. I will inform you if Harry decides he is pressing charges." Glaring the Auror down until he shrugged and left, Severus was about to turn and enter the ward when Ron spoke quietly.

"Thank you."

"Do not thank me. Harry has a good heart, and I cannot be sure he'd want her charged, even after what she did. Besides, it will take me time to convince him to use all his political sway to have Miss Weasley subjected to the Dementors. None of you have any place here, now leave."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry grizzled softly, trying to arch into the hand that rested on his shoulder, but was stopped by the pain that shot up his spine. "Sev'rus?"

"I'm here, Harry."

"Where am I? What's happened? Why'd I hurt?"

Shifting on the chair a little better, Severus ducked down; laying his forearm across the mattress and resting his chin atop his arm, letting him meet Harry's eyes. "You were hurt and the Healers have fixed you up. You'll ache for a few days, but there's no lasting damage."

Harry nodded, casting his mind around to try and remember what happened. Gasping, Harry tried to snap up, stopped by Severus slinging an arm over his back and pinning him down.

"Harry! Calm down!"

"My tail! She… gods, she tried to sever it off and…"

"And missed. She lacerated your back, and you lost a fair bit of blood. But the Healers have repaired the wound, and you've been given a blood replenishing potion. You'll take a few days to heal up, but you'll be just fine." When Harry sank back against the mattress, Severus ran his hand down Harry's back, careful of the dressing on the healing would, and took Harry's tail in his fingers, drawing the strong muscle up to tease the end over Harry's face gently. "See, still here."

"I can't feel it."

"I know; you were given an anaesthetic potion. Sensation will come back in an hour or so. Harry, what led to her reacting so badly?"

"I don't know. She… it was like she wasn't even hearing me, she'd already made her mind up, and then she was babbling about you, and that you only love me because I'm different. I wasn't quick enough; I was turned away when she drew her wand, and by the time I saw it, it was too late. I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. Do you want anything?"

"To go home and sleep."

Severus smiled, leaning down and pressing a gentle kiss to Harry's temple. "I'll work on that."

"Severus?"

"Yes?"

"Is she… did anyone get called?"

"The Healers notified the Aurors, but I told them to wait until I'd spoken to you, in case you didn't want to press charges. But you can worry about that later."

Nodding, Harry let his eyes slide closed as he listened to Severus leave the room. When had his life gotten so difficult?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus had silenced the floo knocker and the door bell, and set up wards that Merlin himself would need time to disable. He'd taken the week off work and was focusing his attention solely on Harry. Three days after the disastrous meeting with Ginny, Harry was almost completely healed, just a little stiffness lingered, if he over stretched himself. They were also out of food, which meant Severus had to open up either the floo or the front door. Deciding that the ever-present gaggle of reporters outside their home would just be too much to deal with, Severus opened up the floo and grabbed his money bag, turning just in time to see Ron stumble out of the floo.

"Bloody hell, I've been knocking for fifteen minutes straight!"

"The knocker was off. Please leave."

"Look, I know you're mad and that, but I want to talk to Harry."

"You heard Severus. Leave." Harry leant in the bedroom doorway, tee shirt hastily pulled on with his pyjama pants, and arms crossed defensively across his chest. Ron looked stunned that Harry's tone was so firm and cold, but Harry refused to back down. Hugging his arms a little tighter around him, he forced himself to hold Ron's eyes as he spoke. "I did wrong, and I wanted to put that right. But I didn’t do anything that deserves being hexed, being attacked. I came back here to put things right, and I hit wall after wall of resistance. If I can't be forgiven, then I can’t be forgiven, but I won't put myself in a position where I'm constantly checking behind me for wands drawn."

Ron sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets and toeing the edge of the rug. "I don't know what she was thinking, and I'm sorry. I guarantee she won't be anywhere near you when you come round to ours. But she does want to speak to you."

"She's said enough, don't you think?"

"Harry, please."

Shrugging, Harry pushed off the doorframe and ran his hand up and through his messy hair. "Give her the address, and if Severus lets her in I'll talk to her. I need to sleep, Ron, I'm sorry. Maybe we can talk later."

"Friday? Make the dinner a regular thing?"

Making a noncommittal noise, Harry waited while Ron turned and stepped back into the floo, leaning back against the wall and closing his eyes as he listened to Severus locking the floo again.

"Harry?"

"Was I too harsh?"

"No, I don't think you were. No matter what you did, Miss Weasley's behaviour crossed a line. If she comes, will you speak with her?"

"What would you do?"

"It isn't my decision."

Harry sighed, scrubbing his hands over his face and standing up straight. "I'll talk to her, but not on my own."

Severus nodded, the weight of his moneybag reminding him of his earlier purpose. "Do you want anything in particular from the store?"

"Some ginger?"

"You'll put your back out. Anything else?"

Pouting, Harry slunk over to Severus, batting his eyelashes and playing it up until he got a smile out of his lover. "Just food, and maybe something sweet?"

"I'll see what I can do. Go get some rest, I'll be back within the hour."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As they unpacked the shopping, Harry had flicked the radio on, and Severus sighed as another formulaic pop song came on. "I miss the Spanish radio."

"Really?"

"Really. The songs were always so upbeat and different. Or perhaps my perspective of them was different. Who knows."

Harry grinned, and grabbed a courgette, holding it up to his mouth like a microphone as he began singing in passable Spanish, "Eres demasiado bueno para ser real, no puedo dejar de mirarte, tocarte es como tocar el paraíso, quiero abrazarte tanto..."

Laughing, Severus set the empty shopping bag down, pulling Harry into his arms and taking the courgette from his hands, ducking down for a sweet kiss which soon turned heated. 

Stepping back, Harry ran his hands over Severus' chest reverentially. When the older man made no move to stop him, Harry slid down to his knees, pushing open the heavy robes and mouthing Severus' flat abdomen, wiry black hairs tickling his lips as he spoke softly, "Te quiero tanto, mi Severus."

As Harry nuzzled against his interested groin, looking up to him with a plea for permission in green eyes, Severus nodded slowly, melting at the smile bestowed on him before his lover's fingers opened the fastening of his trousers. He groaned quietly when Harry's tongue lapped over the exposed head of his dick, nimble fingers freeing him from cloth confines and drawing his erection into Harry's mouth. Enjoying the sensation for a moment, he nevertheless rested his hands on Harry's cheeks and pushed the younger man back gently. 

"Por favor, Severus, por favor, déjame tocarte."

Severus had picked up just enough Spanish to be able to couple what he knew with Harry's tone and body, and work out what was being said. "If you keep up these pretty words?"

"Sí, cualquier cosa."

"Clothes off, Pet."

Complying instantly, Harry stripped his pyjama bottoms and tee-shirt, draping them over the back of a chair and following Severus into the living room. He hummed in anticipation when Severus gestured to the leather chair. "The kinky chair!"

"Pardon?"

Severus' raised eyebrow said it all, and Harry cast around in his mind. "Uhm... la silla de la perversión."

"Better. Let's see how much you picked up in Spain."

"La mayoría lo he aprendido del porno."

Severus picked out enough to work out what Harry had said, and snickered softly as he positioned Harry on the chair; hooking his legs over the armrest and drawing Harry down so his arse was accessible on the edge of the chair. Grabbing a cushion to protect his knees, Severus wasted no time and gave Harry no warning, swooping down to wrap his mouth around Harry's erection and pushing two fingers inside Harry, a silent lubrication spell easing his way. 

"¡Oh, santo cielo!" Harry yelled out, taken by surprise by the dual sensations. He curled forwards, hands immediately clenching in Severus' hair and legs locking around Severus' shoulders.

Severus growled, pulling off and out of Harry, and disentangling long limbs from around him. Roughly, he pushed Harry's legs back up and over the arm rests, and met dilated green eyes firmly. "Keep them open and out of my way, or I'll cane the insides of your thighs until you learn to do as you are told."

Wincing – that would _hurt_ – Harry nodded, curling his fingers over the ends of the armrests in the hopes that by trapping his legs, he'd manage not to crush Severus in his ecstasy. "Lo siento, señor."

"You will be." Severus murmured, returning to his previous position of mouth and fingers plundering Harry's most intimate areas. When the waiting got too much, Severus pushed his trousers more firmly out of the way, rising up and sliding his aching erection into the stretched, flexing hole so recently vacated by his fingers.

"Oh... ¡dios, Severus, sí!"

Wary of Harry's back and hurting him so soon after he'd healed, Severus pulled Harry gently from the chair into his lap, supporting Harry with an arm around his waist. "Rest your hands on the chair, and swing your legs forwards. Use them for leverage."

Harry nodded, shifting about and getting comfortable on Severus' lap. Lifting himself up and down experimentally, when no pain or discomfort flared, Harry nodded away the concern in Severus' eyes, yelling out when his lover thrust up hard and fast. Once assured that Harry was comfortable, Severus seemed intent on fucking him into oblivion, and all attempts at words – Spanish or otherwise – died in his throat as Harry gurgled and moaned, moving as best he could into the movements before his stomach cramped and balls tightened in orgasm.

Severus followed Harry after half a dozen thrusts or so, curving over Harry's body to suck a possessive mark onto his neck as he spilled into Harry's body. When he'd regained some sense, Severus released the flesh of Harry's neck from his teeth, licking a hot path up to his ear and muttering, "Te quiero."

"Yo también te quiero."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry was glad that Severus had insisted on taking the full week off work. Partly because it meant he'd spent the week being cared for and loved thoroughly, but mainly because it meant he wasn't alone when the floo knocked and Ginny Weasley stepped out. Quelling the flash of fear that ran through him, Harry watched silently as she glanced between him and Severus.

"Can we talk?"

"Talk."

"Alone, Harry."

"I'm not falling for that one again."

Sucking in a breath through gritted teeth, Ginny closed her eyes and steeled her nerves. She'd practised this thinking only Harry would hear it, and the presence of Snape made it much more difficult. 

Stepping forwards, Severus held out his hand. "Give me your wand."

"What?"

"I'm going to put the kettle on, and I'm not leaving while you're still armed. Give me your wand."

Handing her wand over cautiously, Ginny took a few deep breaths as she listened to Severus crossing the room.

Resting his hand on Harry's shoulder, Severus whispered, "I can see you from the kitchen, and I can hear what happens. Call out, and I will come, understand?"

"Thanks." Harry murmured, waiting for Severus to enter the kitchen before speaking to Ginny. "This is as close to alone as you're getting, so what do you want to say?"

"Can we sit?"

Harry sat on the armchair, gesturing to the sofa and waiting while Ginny sat down. 

"I… I'm sorry, for what I did. This is no kind of excuse, but it is an explanation. I was heartbroken when you left. I know we had our problems, and I know most were because of me. But I did love you. I was so angry, and hurt, when you came back, and I let that get the better of me. Seeing that you were alive, and happy with Sn~Severus," Ginny almost choked on the name, but she saw a slight softening of Harry's face at the obvious effort she was making. "When I saw that, it was like all the grief I'd felt these past seven years balled up in my chest as anger and spite. I wanted to hurt you, just like you hurt me. And the worst bit is, I don't even think it was that I wanted you back. I love Dean, even though I've screwed that up now too. I just wanted you to hurt. That makes me an awful person, and I know that. But it's my reasoning, however pitiful."

Sighing, Harry pushed his glasses up to rub his eyes slowly. "I didn't do what I did to hurt you."

"I know you didn't, but that's what happened. I mean… we never even broke up. You just left, and eventually it stopped hurting enough that I could carry on with life, fall in love with someone else. But you were always there in the background, I was always aware that there was a what if. And because I thought you were dead, it was okay. But you're not, and I just… I don't know. I got a little crazy."

"You tried to sever my tail from my body."

"I'm sorry. Look, I…" Ginny sighed, twisting her fingers together. "I know everyone's waiting on me. Mum's desperate to have you back in the family, but she won't unless I'm okay with it. And the thing is, Harry, I don't know if I'll ever be okay with it. And I know that what I did, it lost me any chance at the high ground. But you left me. And I don't know that it'll ever stop hurting, that you were so unhappy with me running away was a better option than confiding in me. But you came back, and tried to set things right. I won't stand in the way of you getting on with everyone else."

"So what are you saying, Ginny?"

"That I'll talk to Mum and everyone; say I have no problem with you being… welcomed back into the fold, for lack of a better phrase. We probably won't have to see much of each other anyways. Just family parties and the like. Contrary to preceding behaviour, I can be civil for short periods of time."

Harry sniggered, looking up and meeting Ginny's eyes. Leaning forwards, he rested his hands over Ginny's, and spoke softly. "I loved you, and a part of me still loves you as a friend. I didn't mean to hurt you, and I know I wronged you by leaving. But I'd have wronged you more by staying."

Laughing slightly, Ginny pulled one of her hands free and rested it over Harry's. "Are you breaking up with me?"

"I guess I am."

"Thanks. Look, I'd better get going. Let's just… let's just be quits, yeah?"

Harry nodded, standing up and holding his hand out, smiling as Ginny shook it, and walking across to the fireplace with her. "I'm sorry, for leaving with no word."

"I'm sorry for being such a bitch. And your back…"

"It's okay, just a bit sore."

Biting her lip, Ginny blushed as she asked, "Are you going to…"

"No; you've apologised, and meant it. That's enough for me. Though I do have a question; why'd you take me to Mungos?"

"Well… turns out we weren't as alone as we thought – Ron was upstairs, just in case one of us went mad. Much as I did. As I came back to myself and realised what I'd done, he burst into the kitchen and got you to the hospital. Harry, I… as soon as I said that curse, I knew I'd screwed up. I'd have taken you to Mungos myself, even if Ron hadn't been there."

Harry nodded, and squeezed Ginny's hand before letting go of it. "Nothing happens overnight. Well, apart from long-dormant Creature Heritages, apparently."

"Apparently!" Ginny laughed.

"But maybe one day?"

"Maybe one day. Goodbye, Harry."

Waving, Harry locked the floo when the green flames had died away, and turned to find Severus waiting in the doorway. "You heard all that?"

"Yes. You handled it very well. Perhaps a truce is the best that can be hoped for between you and Miss Weasley?"

"Perhaps. And you're okay with that?"

"Honestly?"

Harry nodded, and Severus sighed softly, moving to sit on the sofa and waiting for Harry to join him. "Honestly, Harry, I think you've done more than you needed to curry the favour of the Weasleys. Yes, you did something wrong, but you had solid reasons and you have suffered too. They've made you jump through a lot of hoops, and I don't think that's fair. However, they are your family, and it is your choice. As long as you know that I will support whatever choices you make, then my opinions should not sway your actions in this. On the subject of Miss Weasley, however, I will never forgive her for harming you, and presented with the opportunity I will not refrain from hexing her senseless. It was only the presence of a child that stopped me killing her in the waiting room last week."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Dragging you through all this."

Tipping Harry's head up, Severus made sure truth was present in every word as he assured Harry, "I would go through a thousand times more for you."

Harry smiled, leaning into the hand cupping his cheek and enjoying the closeness for a moment, before he grinned cheekily and asked, "Severus?"

"Yes?"

"Can we have an early night?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus woke up around midnight, and was instantly aware that the bed was empty. Leaving the bed, he pulled his dressing gown around him and padded out of the bedroom, finding Harry lay on the sofa. Tapping Harry's head, Severus sat down and waited while Harry lay back down, head resting comfortably on Severus' thigh. "Can't sleep?"

"No, I didn't want to wake you with my tossing and turning."

"I would not mind. Is something keeping you up?"

Rolling onto his back, Harry looked up at Severus and smiled softly. "I know things aren't fully fixed, but they're getting there. I guess I was just thinking that everything's working out."

"Yes, it is. And are you happy, with the way your life has developed?"

Moving to lace his fingers with Severus', Harry nodded softly. "Yes, I am. Are you?"

"Yes. I have a question though."

"Oh?"

"The thought that you'd lost your tail pained you greatly when you woke in the hospital. Does that mean you've accepted what you are?"

"I guess so. If I wasn't a Sottomesso, I wouldn't have left. If I hadn't left, I wouldn't have been in that village, and I wouldn't have run into you. I'm happy with my life, and comfortable in my own skin for the first time in… well, for the first time ever. That's down to you."

Severus smiled, carding his fingers through Harry's hair slowly. "Thanks to you, I can say the same thing. Now back to bed; we need to rest up so we can finish packing tomorrow."

Standing, Harry stretched out and laughed when Severus trailed long fingers lightly over his abdomen. "Quit it. I can't believe we're moving in together."

"I can't believe we're moving on Monday and you've packed one box."

"I'll do it tomorrow. I'm a wizard, remember."

"You're a brat." Severus shed his dressing gown, hanging it on the back of the door and climbing back into bed. Harry slid in next to him, and Severus dropped a gentle kiss onto mussed black hair. "Good night, Harry."

"Night, Severus." Harry responded, taking a moment to marvel at how far he'd come in the last year before he closed his eyes and sought out sleep in Severus' arms. 

 

 

** Four Months Later **

Harry grinned, fingers itching to tear the wrapping paper from the pile of gifts in front of him. When Severus returned, setting two glasses of champagne on the coffee table and sitting down next to Harry on the sofa, Harry began to open his birthday gifts. Presents from friends and family were gushed over, and Harry thanked Severus enthusiastically for the new broom Severus had bought him, pulling from the kiss only when Severus broke away gently. 

"I have one more gift for you," Severus murmured, keeping Harry sat on his lap as he Summoned over the last gift. Holding it out, Severus waited while Harry opened it, revealing the black box that Harry had seen some months before. Harry's breath caught, and Severus opened the box slowly, taking out the collar and holding it between his fingers as he waited for Harry to look up. When emerald eyes met his, Severus began to speak. "I've thought about all the things I could ask of you to earn this collar. But in all of those fantasies, you looked much better already wearing the leather. You are my lover, my submissive, my soul mate. I love you, Harry. So I offer you this collar, as a sign of all that is between us."

Swallowing thickly, Harry took a second to reign in his emotions before he nodded softly. "I'd be honoured to wear it."

Smiling, Severus undid the buckle and reached his hands up, snapping the buckle into place at the nape of Harry's neck. Resting his hands on Harry's shoulder, he appreciated the simple black leather contrasting with Harry's tan skin, and couldn't resist tracing his fingertips over Harry's neck, feeling the ridge of the collar and the smoothness of Harry's skin. "You look so handsome, Harry. So utterly perfect. When we have fulfilled our obligations, we will come back home and you will wear nothing but this collar for me."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry smiled, fingers running subconsciously over his collar as he chatted to Charlie about Quidditch. While things had been getting better between him and the Weasleys, he hadn't expected Molly to insist they celebrate his birthday, or that she would throw a party for him, even if it was only for his nearest and dearest. It was especially touching to see everyone making an effort to be nice to Severus, and Harry watched as George actually sought out Severus, the two men lost in a discussion, no doubt about some potion for a Weasley's Wizard Wheeze.

Spotting Ginny in the kitchen, getting a refill on her drink, Harry excused himself and headed over. "Hey, Ginny."

"Harry, hey. Happy Birthday."

"Thanks. I didn't know you were coming."

"Seemed childish not to. How are things?"

"Good, really good."

Ginny smiled, gesturing her glass at Harry's collar. "It's beautiful, very elegant."

"Thank you. How're you?"

"Pretty good. I got things sorted with Dean." Ginny grinned and wiggled her hand up in the air, showing off the pretty engagement ring. 

"Oh, Ginny, congratulations!"

"Thanks. Now come on, get back out to your party. And for heaven's sake, eat something, you know how Mum gets! That birthday cake could feed a continent!"

Nodding, Harry headed back into the lounge, weaving through the assorted Weasleys and finding Severus stood alone. Sliding an arm around his waist, Harry leant up and grinned when Severus brought their lips together in a kiss, the older man leaning back to ask, "All well?"

"I'm with you; of course all is well."

 

**_Finish_ **


End file.
